By GAMBO ARABAT, Lafia

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State has called on security operatives in the state to closely monitor the activities of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing their actions as unacceptable.

Alhaji Aliyu Bello, Chairman of APC in Nasarawa State, made the call during a press conference held Thursday in Lafia, the state capital. He opined that PDP in the state was orchestrating an evil media propaganda aimed at bringing disharmony among the people of the state “who have been co-existing as one big family and citizenry of Nigeria from immemorial”.

Bello said: “It is with great concern that I wish to address you on recent developments after the Appeal Court verdict which reversed the verdict of the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

“The lower court had erroneously took away the popular mandate given to our then gubernatorial candidate, Engr Abdullahi Sule, by the majority of the state electorate for a second term as Executive Governor of the state.

“The unbecoming utterances in the media by the PDP State Chairman, Hon. Francis Orogu, after the Appeal Court verdict reaffirmed Governor Sule, which is chorused by some of the party’s gullible and fanatic supporters in their desire to gain power through the back door, calls for concern.”

Bello further asserted that APC was optimistic that it would win in the Supreme Court, following from the Appeal Court verdict and called on the opposition PDP to join hands with the APC administration towards developing the state for the interest of all.

“The dream and struggle for the creation of Nasarawa State by our founding fathers transcended political, ethnic and religious sentiments but anchored on fairness and justice, to harness our collective strength and resources for the betterment of our state. The state belongs to all of us. We should therefore not be seen to encourage any form of senseless, baseless and provocative statements that have no root in the history of Nasarawa politics. PDP supporters are classifying the people of Nasarawa State as indigenes and non-indigenes. We call on the citizenry to thread the path of peaceful association devoid of sentiments of prompting political unrest in the state. It is unfortunate that rather than await the outcome of their appeal at the Supreme Court, PDP in the state has instead resorted to actions that are meant to overheat the polity of the state and subsequently cause chaos,” the Nasarawa APC Chairman added.

He however called on APC supporters to be law-abiding and be supportive of Engr. Abdullahi Sule to enable him to succeed in his programmes and policy drive aimed at moving the state forward for the overall interest of all.