A group under the aegis of the Nasarawa for Peace Initiative (NPI) has frowned at the continued resort to media trial by opposition elements in the state to vent their anger over losing the last governorship election in Nasarawa State, describing the move as provocative and undemocratic.
A statement signed by the President of the initiative, Abdulkareem Anas Abimuku, the group condemned what it referred to as a “media trial” of a matter which is already before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lafia, the state capital.
NPI specifically referred to a front page story of a newspaper (not LEADERSHIP) dated June 15, 2023, with the title: “Nasarawa guber manipulated”, and attributed to a group under the aegis of the CivicHive.
The story quoted alleged discrepancies in the result of the governorship election uploaded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on its server and those the commission declared.
NPI however said while it has no problem with any organisation, sponsored or otherwise, critiquing the process and outcome of the last governorship election, it is concerned that the timing of the CivicHive intervention and the manner the paper handled the story was suspect.
The statement reads in part: “Firstly, where was the so-called CivicHive who claimed to be one of the accredited observers that purportedly monitored elections in Nasarawa State all this while? Why is its report coming many weeks after the declaration of the winner? And more importantly, why did CivicHive wait until the election petition tribunal commenced hearing of the petition filed by the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its governorship candidate before coming out with its report?
“We have been following the situation regarding the last elections in our dear state, and we can categorically say that we are not happy with the manner the main opposition party has been handling its loss, especially as it concerns the governorship election outcome.
“We must state that its combative approach to the matter is capable of undermining the fragile peace the state and its people are currently enjoying. It started from the day of the coalition, where PDP agents almost truncated the announcement of results at the INEC headquarters in Lafia from the moment it discovered that the poll’s outcome was not in its favour.
“The next day it unleashed its youths and women clad in black on the state capital in the name of protest against the result which it alleged was manipulated. As a final resort, it deployed grandmothers to protest naked on the streets of Lafia, a move which many condemned as a debasement of womanhood.
“Many thought that after filing its petition at the tribunal, the opposition will allow the justices to do their job, but the PDP again opted to use the media to intimidate the judiciary into coming out with a verdict in its favour by preempting the outcome of the case which is at pre-trial stage.
“It alleged through the media of the supposed plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Abdullahi Sule to induce the judges to uphold the outcome of the poll. At every point, it bandied the supposed uploaded result and the one declared to buttress its point, even as it tried needlessly to condemn the poll’s outcome, especially in Lafia, where it lost woefully.
“It is the same figures and the narratives that CivicHive is now showcasing as its report of the outcome of the poll, and which a national newspaper like Nigerian Pilot will lead its edition with in a banner headline when there are other important national interest stories that should ordinarily attract the attention of its readers.
“If the said information is that important and credible, why did the newspaper fail to provide the identity of the author? What designation is “Special Correspondent”?
It said Nigerian Pilot owes its teeming readers the duty to avail them with reports that are factual and accurate and not hiding behind an alibi.
“It is sad that the PDP, because of its vested and parochial interest, will throw the peace and security of the state to the dogs by needlessly heating the already tense atmosphere through its divisive politics.
“On this note, we are calling on the tribunal to take cognizance of what’s happening. The respected justices must call the Nigerian Pilot and the supposed election monitoring group, CivicHive, to order in the interest of justice and fairness in the handling of the ongoing case,” it said.EEEEEEEEE
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