Tight security envelops the Court of Appeal in Abuja as a crucial judgment looms in the Nasarawa State Governorship election dispute. Security forces, including the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS), and Civil Defense Corps, have sealed off all routes leading to the Appellate Court.
Traffic diversions orchestrated by Federal Road Safety Corps officials redirect both private and commercial vehicles away from the Federal Secretariat roads. This sudden blockade has caused substantial traffic snarls.
These stringent security measures, reportedly instituted by the court management, aim to prevent any potential lawlessness following the judgment. Everyone entering the court premises—staff, lawyers, litigants, and journalists—is undergoing thorough security checks at the main gate.
Despite numerous accredited journalists, only five are allowed into the courtroom due to limited seating and the need for crowd control, as explained by a court official. While a handful of political party officials and their supporters gained access early, many others were held at a distance by armed police.
The high-stakes legal battle involves incumbent Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his opponent, David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Previously, the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had, with a majority decision, nullified Governor Sule’s victory, declaring Ombugadu the rightful winner.
The anticipation mounts as everyone awaits the arrival of the justices for the judgment.
