From Suleiman Abubakar
"Governor Abdullahi Sule has no hand in the arrest of hired PDP protesters. In a statement issued to newsmen in Lafia, the administrative headquarters of Nasarawa State, a copy made available to our correspondent, Hon. Ahemba stated that on a normal ground, they would not respond to claims by PDP state chairman, Mr. Francis Orogu because they are yet to wake up from the shock of defeat at the Supreme Court judgment.
"The attention of His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, Executive Governor of Nasarawa State has been drawn to a publication in some online media platforms credited to the Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State, Mr. Francis Orogu, where he alleged that the Governor was behind the arrest and 'continued' detention of some supporters of the party. The statement.
"Let me make it publicly known that the State Police Command, in the performance of its constitutional responsibility of maintaining law and order, arrested some persons believed to have been sponsored by the leadership of the PDP to stage a needless protest aimed at fomenting trouble in the state.
"This singular act by PDP hired protesters is a violation of a peace pact earlier signed by the leaderships of the ruling APC and the opposition PDP to maintain peace before, during, and after the higher Court of the land ruling on the Governorship dispute.
"Surprisingly, the PDP supporters, who were instigated by the party leaders, resorted to violence by blocking and burning tires on the ever-busy Jos road and causing untold hardship on motorists as well as crippling commercial activities around the area, shortly after the Supreme Court rightly affirmed the election of His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule as the duly elected Governor of Nasarawa State, thus prompting their arrest by the Police. Added.
"It is unfortunate that the PDP Chairman, Mr. Francis Orogu, whose desperation for power put the protesters in trouble, has turned around to accuse the Governor of a matter that is strictly within the purview of the Police authorities and the judiciary.
"We wish to make it abundantly clear to Mr. Orogu and his co-travelers that Governor Sule, as a democrat and respecter of the rule of law, does not meddle in the affairs of security agencies, the judiciary, and other arms of government and therefore the allegation that the Governor is behind the arrest of the PDP supporters is baseless and unfounded.
"At this juncture, we demand an unreserved apology from the State PDP Chairman for his serial false allegations against His Excellency and the Government of Nasarawa State.
"The PDP leaders must, as a matter of morality, seek forgiveness from the people of the State, particularly the womenfolk, for misleading the unsuspecting women and encouraging them to display nudity in the streets whereas their own wives, daughters, and close relations were not engaged to do the same. This, no doubt, constitutes an act of human rights violation especially the right of the women to human dignity and must not be overlooked by our Civil Society Organisations.
"While we sympathize with the arrested protesters and pray that the judiciary will temper justice with mercy, we wish to caution that never again should our women be used in such a dehumanizing manner for selfish political reasons."
