The Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has dismissed the claims by the Civil Liberties Organisation that he and the Independent National Electoral Commission Returning Officer for the State, Professor Ishaya Tanko, tampered with the results of the March 18 governorship elections in the state.
The CLO had demanded severe sanctions and visa restrictions on the governor and the INEC Returning Officer, alleging that they made utterances that could jeopardize the integrity and independence of the judiciary and endanger the peace of the country after the election petitions tribunal overturned his election and declared David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner of the election.
However, the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, has refuted the allegations, saying that they are “baseless” and that the governor has not violated any law to deserve banning him from travelling abroad.
He said, “Governor Abdullahi Sule hasn’t committed any offence to warrant banning him from travelling outside of the country as demanded by the CLO.
“This is highly condemnable and laughable; such allegations are baseless. Such groups are window dressers working with PDP to authenticate the fraud being perpetrated by the party during the general elections.”
The governor has filed an appeal against the tribunal’s verdict at the Court of Appeal, insisting that he won the election fairly and lawfully. He has also urged his supporters to remain calm and peaceful while awaiting the outcome of the appeal.
