Former Nasarawa State Governor Umar Tanko Almakura and ex-Deputy Governor Labaran Maku were present at the Court of Appeal in Abuja to witness the verdict in the state’s gubernatorial election dispute.
Almakura supported the incumbent Governor Abdullahi Sule, while Maku led a team representing David Emmanuel Ombugadu during the proceedings. Sule contested under the All Progressives Congress (APC) banner in the March 18 poll, while Ombugadu opposed him on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform.
Accompanying the duo were the State House of Assembly Speaker, the state’s APC Chairman, and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Labaran Shuaib. However, strict orders barred unaccredited politicians associated with Almakura and Maku from entering the courtroom.
The atmosphere hinted at tension between Governor Sule’s camp and his challengers, marked by the absence of the typical banter among politicians.
Previously, a Tribunal nullified the governor’s election on October 2, citing malpractices and irregularities during the election result collation.
