Protests and jubilations yesterday greeted the judgments by the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court which upheld the elections of six governors in their respective states. The six governors who scaled the last legal hurdle are Governors Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Uba Sani of Kaduna, Nasir Idris of Kebbi, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Mohammed Yahaya of Gombe and Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta.

38 Protesters sent to prison in Nasarawa State

In Nasarawa state, some protesters who protested against the apex court’s decision affirming Abdullahi Sule as the governor of the state were arrested, charged to court and remanded in prison when magistrate rejected their bail applications.

The aggrieved protesters were mostly women, They went on the streets protesting. The Nasarawa State commissioner of police, Umaru Shehu Nadada then ordered the arrest of the protesters and charged them to the Chief Magistrate Court for public disturbance.

When the matter was mentioned for hearing by the prosecuting counsel, Danjuma Allu, the Chief Magistrate, Mohammed Abdullahi Lanze reserved his ruling till Monday 22 January, 2024.
However, the defendants counsel, Iliya Ashokpa pleaded with the court to grant his clients bail which was not granted. The Chief Magistrate then ordered 38 of the protesters to be remanded at Nigeria Correctional center in Lafia. The protesters who were remanded were five men and thirty-three women.

Protests won’t change anything — Gov Sule

Governor Abdullahi Sule, in his reaction said that the protest against the Supreme Court judgement that affirmed his victory would not change anything. The governor said that the Supreme Court is the ultimate and the final count, adding that those who appreciate democracy should take the apex court’s verdict in good faith. Sule said: “In every state where the Supreme Court actually passed judgment you will find some people are happy and some other people are not happy.

But I think people who understand what democracy is all about will understand that the Supreme Court is the ultimate and is the final and those who appreciate or respect democracy should actually leave it right there because protests or no protest will not change anything, the Supreme Court has already passed its judgment. So in our own case, when we lost at the tribunal, we told everybody that nobody should protest and that’s why nobody protested, but that is the level of maturity that you will see from one political party to the other. “

Also asked to react to the apex court judgement that affirmed his victory, the governor commended President Tinubu for allowing the judiciary to do its work without any interference.

There was jubilation across the 25 local government areas of Delta State on Friday, following the Supreme Court’s reaffirmation of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori as the duly elected Governor of the State in the March 18 gubernatorial polls.

Across Asaba, the State capital, Obiaruku, Ughelli, Sapele, Kwale, Warri, Effurun, Oleh, Ozoro and other parts of the State, victory songs pervaded the air as youths, women, traders and others, thronged major streets in celebration of Oborevwori’s victory.

Similarly, Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun said that his administration will now keep its eyes on further development of the state, following his Supreme Court victory on Friday. The governor said that all attempts to distract his administration have failed, noting that the Supreme Court victory marks an end to court shopping by his political adversaries.

Prince Abiodun stated this in an interview with journalists at the Gateway International Airport, Iperu-Remo, on his arrival from Abuja. He called on the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ladi Adebutu, and other political adversaries to get ready for their re-run in 2027. “We hope our opponents who have been making a lot of noise about a re-run can prepare for a re-run in 2027.

“Now, this victory marks an end to this court shopping for adversaries and for us. It is the final victory in this journey that started in 2018. “We will now keep our eyes further focused on the ball. All attempts to distract us have failed,” he said.
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