BY FRANCIS NANSAK, LAFIA
Opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Nasarawa State has been warned against dragging and blackmailing the royal institution in its bid to settle political scores.
The Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule gave the warning in Saturday in a statement reacting to a comment credited to the the PDP over the ongoing state governorship election petition tribunal.
Governor Sule, through a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Comrade Peter Ahemba said, but for the testimonies of the PDP witnesses before the tribunal acknowledging that it inflated votes in its favour, he would have nailed the party’s candidate for dragging the revered traditional rulers into politics.
A group under the umbrella of “Concerned Citizens of Nasarawa State” had alleged that some traditional rulers in the state planned to meet Vice President Kashim Shettima with a view to influence the outcome of the tribunal in favour of Governor Sule.
“While His Excellency will continue to resist the temptation to join issues with paid agents of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), especially on an issue that is already before a lawfully constituted Tribunal to decide, it has become a matter of serious concern that the PDP has again thrown caution in the winds by dragging our revered traditional rulers into an issue that is purely political,” the statement said.
Ahemba said it is on record that traditional rulers in the state have consistently maintained neutral positions on issues that have to do with partisan politics in the belief that they are fathers to all.
“This could be attested to by the warm reception usually accorded to all political parties and their candidates in every election season,” the statement read.
Ahemba recalled that prior to the 2023 general elections, the PDP and its governorship candidate visited the palaces of these traditional rulers to seek for their royal blessings and they were warmly received.
Governor Sule said it is unfortunate that the same traditional institution has become a subject of attack by the opposition today.
“Is it that the PDP as a party expected our traditional rulers to force the electorates to vote for its candidate?” the statement queried.
Ahemba said that since the outright rejection of the PDP’s governorship candidate by the electorate in the last general election, it has been working to acquire power through the back door.
Nasarawa State Governor emphasized that resort to cheap blackmail of traditional rulers and propaganda will certainly not help matters, hence calling on the party and its agents to “desist from such abominable acts”.
“We also urge the party to tread with caution even though information available to the State Government indicates that the petition at the Tribunal has been turned into a business venture for some PDP bigwigs which is why it was instituted in the first place.
“Little wonder, the opposition party and its governorship candidate have become more apprehensive by the turn of events at the proceedings of the tribunal where the petitioner’s witnesses have rather exposed the widespread manipulation of election’s result in many polling units across the state.
“Be that as it may, the collective interest of the people of Nassrawa State must be placed above personal considerations, hence we urge the PDP and their agents to desist from actions, that are capable of jeopardizing the existing peace in the State,” the statement warned.
Ahemba expressed the governor’s confidence in the judiciary to do justice on the matter before it.
The statement enjoined the public to disregard the said publication, noting that the governor does not have to lobby in an election he won landslide and has defended at the tribunal through his competent legal team.