Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, has come under criticism for accusing Christian judges of conspiring to remove him from power.
The governor had, during a speech he delivered at the 2023 Peace And Development Submit for Young University Students in Abuja, on Tuesday, said Christian judges of the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal conspired to declare Emmanuel Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, winner of the election.
Ombugadu is a Christian.
Sule noted that the Muslim judge in the tribunal, in a dissenting judgement, insisted that he won the election.
Sule in the video from the event that has gone viral, was heard saying his advisers asked him to shut down Winners Chapel (Goshen City) in Masaka and arrest the Presiding Bishop, Bishop Abioye, but he refused.
He also alleged that the judges conspired against him after the Christian cleric advised Christians to only vote for someone of their faith in the March 18 governorhip poll.
The governor’s comments have drawn criticism from the people of Nasarawa State as well as other Nigerians.
Some indigenes and non-indigenes condemned the governor’s comments.
Some accused him of attempting to incite religious conflict between Christians and Muslims, while others asked whether the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Returning Officer who declared him winner in the first place was a Muslim.
Daddy Jay, an indigene of Nasarawa, said, “I cannot believe that our governor can say something like that, I thought the man was educated. If I did not see the video, I will never have believed.”
Also reacting to the comments, Ovye Amos said, “He knows he has lost, so he has to try to blackmail the Christians and turn us against each other. It won’t work again in Nasarawa. We are one.”
“Politicians are in the business of dividing us, but we now know better. We cannot be divided neither by religion or tribe” another resident, Ashe, said.
Jenner said, “His time is up and he knows it. This is why we rejected him at the polls. He has nothing to offer, we were patiently waiting for election to come so we can push him out. Now, he is blackmailing Christians so that Muslims can fight to keep him. No more!”
On his part, Allu Sani said, “If anyone believes that clown, he’s on his own. We know what we want and God gave it to us through the tribunal.”
A resident who simply identified herself as Carol asked, “Can’t you see that the man is drowning and wants to carry all of us along?”
Pius Anzaku added, “Crying with a clear lost evidence, him go cry taya. He is finding a way to bring down the state. That shouldn’t really come from him.
“It is a shame for a governor to try to divide the people of Nasarawa State by resorting to religion.”
John Ekka Namo asked, “So Prof Ishaya is a Muslim, abi?” He added, “We voted based on competence, not religion. Stop wasting time and hands up.”
Also reacting to the governor’s comments, Gracious Anzaku said, “So we Christians don’t vote for Muslims or what? All the while Muslims have been ruling nobody brought up religion. Now he is talking about religion.”
