Don’t Blame Religion For Your Election Loss – Walid Jibrin Tells Gov Sule

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin, has expressed disappointment that Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State refused to accept the governorship tribunal verdict, and chose to invoke religion as an excuse for not stepping down from office.

Recall that Governor Sule while speaking at a peace summit in Abuja said: “A lot of you must have read the tribunal ruling in our state when two of the judges who are Christians, decided that a Christian won the election and one Muslim judge decided that it is the Muslim who won the election.”

Maintaining that Sule’s victory in the election was marred by irregularities, Jibrin warned against using religion as a tool to incite tension in the state.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday,  Jibrin, who is also the Sarkin Fulani of Nasarawa, said Nigerians should be wary of politics of religion as it is capable of destroying the country.

“If we are not careful with the politics of religion, the whole country will be destroyed,” he said.

He said the sad attempt to divide the judiciary on religious lines would destroy the only institution that remains the last hope of the common man.

He stressed that Ombugadu, the PDP governorship candidate in the state, who had been officially declared winner of the election by the tribunal, would foster development in the state and bridge religious differences.

Jibrin added; “In the governorship election Governor Sule suffered a crippling defeat as voters overwhelmingly rejected him and voted massively for the PDP governorship candidate, Ombugadu.”

He said the tribunal’s verdict marked a resounding victory for truth and democracy in the state.

He also expressed hope that in the event of an appeal against the tribunal verdict, the outcome would still be in favour of the people of Nasarawa.

He said, “I am a devout Muslim and an elder of over 70 years. I am shocked by Sule’s attempt to blame his defeat on religion rather than the overwhelming facts before God and all Nigerians which showed clearly that he didn’t win the last governorship election in Nasarawa.”