Youths burn tyres in Lafia, protest verdict affirming Sule as Nasarawa governor

A group of youths took to the streets on Friday to protest the verdict affirming Abdullahi Sule as governor of Nasarawa state.

Channels Television reported that the protesters burnt tyres at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Lafia, capital of Nasarawa state.

They also erected bonfires and blocked a highway that empties into Jos, the Plateau state capital.

The activities of the protesters led to the abrupt closure of schools and businesses in Lafia, a town conterminous with the federal capital territory (FCT).

BACKGROUND

Following a petition by David Ombugadu, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nasarawa governorship election tribunal sacked Abdullahi Sule as governor of the state.

The tribunal also declared Ombugadu as the duly elected governor of Nasarawa.

However, Sule appealed the ruling and the judgment of the tribunal was reversed.

Dissatisfied with the appellate court’s verdict, Ombugadu filed an appeal at the supreme court.

‘ONE TERM IS GOOD ENOUGH’

In 2020, Sule said he was not bothered about a second term in office.

Speaking during an event to mark his first year anniversary in office, Sule said one term in office is “good enough”.

“One thing I have never been threatened about in life is my second term as governor. Let me tell you, in 1998, while working in the US, I felt I was bored,” he had said.

“I took my early retirement package from an oil company, I went and set up our small company and we were running our business.”

Sule was first elected governor on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.