Several thousands of supporters and well-wishers welcomed Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, in Gusau, the capital city on Monday evening following last Friday’s Supreme Court judgment.
The apex court reaffirmed Lawal as governor, setting aside the Court of Appeal’s earlier verdict that the Zamfara governorship election was inconclusive.
A statement by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said a massive crowd brought the state capital to a standstill as they celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision.
He described the governor’s entry into Gusau as a momentous occasion for the people of Zamfara who were determined to show their support for their leader.
“The streets were lined with a mammoth crowd, cheering and waving as the Governor’s convoy made its way through the city,” Idris said.
He noted that the Governor rode in an open van called the ‘Bazamfara,’ waving to the cheering supporters as he moved through Tsafe Local Government Area, Kwatarkwashi and Damba to the Freedom Square in the capital city.
The statement said that, “the rally lasted over 10 hours.
“Thousands of people took to the streets, dancing and chanting political slogans while raising placards to express their joy over Governor Lawal’s reaffirmation by the apex court.
“In his speech at the Freedom Square, Governor Lawal praised the Judiciary for standing with the truth regardless of the challenges. “The decision by the Supreme Court has reignited hopes for an independent Judiciary.
“I thank the Judiciary and the Federal Government for not interfering with the judicial processes, especially the election petitions. This has brought hope for the entire country.
“I assure you that security is our top priority, as promised. “We are progressing toward addressing our challenges and will continue to do so. “Additionally, we have made great strides in education, health, agriculture, the economy and other essential sectors.
“We were denied a venue for our campaigns by the previous administration even though we followed all the procedures required by law.
“As a result, we could only gather in this square for our campaigns.
“Therefore, we have decided to rename this square as Freedom Square.”
