Tight security has been implemented around the premises of the Court of Appeal in Abuja in anticipation of a critical judgment in the Nasarawa State Governorship election legal dispute. Security forces, including personnel from the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS), and the Civil Defense Corps, have blocked all roads leading to the Appellate Court. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is managing the resulting traffic diversions.
These security measures, reportedly instituted by the court management, aim to prevent potential lawlessness following the judgment. At the time of this report, rigorous security checks are in place at the main gate for court staff, lawyers, litigants, and journalists before entry.
Despite several journalists being accredited for coverage, only five are allowed into the courtroom due to limited seating capacity and the need for crowd control. Accredited political party officials and their supporters who arrived early received entry, while others were kept at a distance by armed mobile policemen.
The legal battle revolves around the Nasarawa State gubernatorial election, with incumbent Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his rival David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) being the key contenders. The Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had previously nullified Governor Sule’s election, citing a lack of a majority of lawful votes. The tribunal declared Ombugadu the rightful winner of the election.
As of now, the justices are awaited for the delivery of the judgment.
