From Esther Akaa, Lafia
About 1,000 aged women across the 13 local government overnment areas of Nasarawa State on Monday protested over what they allege as rigging of the governorship election in the state.
The Voice reports that following the recent ban on all forms of protests by the police command in the state, the women who were dressed in black, singing emotional songs in Hausa language and carrying leaves in their hands did not go to the streets but held the peaceful protest at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Lafia, the state capital.
Speaking during the protest, State Women Leader of the PDP, Hon. Stella Oboshi, alleged that the party’s governorship candidate, David Ombugadu, won the governorship election and not the incumbent Governor, Abdullahi Sule as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).
Oboshi explained that protest which started last week was to register their dissatisfaction with the outcome of the election.
Oboshi explained that the protest was on Monday held at the PDP secretariat following the recent ban on all forms of protests by the Police command in the state, saying that the women were law abiding and loyal citizens of the country which was why they decided to hold the protest inside the party’s premises.
She said that all protesters were given a directive not to invade the streets to avoid the breakdown of law and order in the state capital, calling on INEC to do the needful by reviewing the election results and announce the actual winner of the election.
“The reason of our being here is that we are protesting because of the election that was rigged. They rigged us in the election, and as women in the party, we are not happy with what has happened in Nasarawa state.
“The police have banned protests in the state. We are not outside, we are inside our party’s office. So, I feel we are not against the law. We are law abiding citizens. All PDP women respect the laws of the land, we are peacemakers, that is why all our protests have been peaceful.
“Moreso, peaceful demonstration in politics is allowed because there is freedom of speech. As you can see, since Tuesday last week when we started protesting, we have not harmed anyone, we have also not insulted anyone or destroyed any property,” Oboshi noted.
She, therefore, called INEC to review the results collated from across the state and announce the actual winner of the governorship election.
