Protesting Women Block Lokoja Highway

The Lokoja-Abuja highway was again blocked yesterday by women,protesting the outcome of the recently held governorship election in Kogi State.

The placard carrying women? who came from local government areas across the state said they were saddened with the outcome of the process,which they alleged was manipulated.

The development led to unusual traffic hold up for some hours,before the demonstrators finally dispersed to their destinations.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen,the leader of the group,Hajia Zainab Isa said they decided to stage the peaceful protest because they didn’t vote for PDP in the just concluded election.

She alleged that their mandate was stolen, as the outcome of the poll was never the true reflection of the people,insisting that even members of the ruling party knew they didn’t win the election.

She noted that the electorate voted for Prince Abubakar Audu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN),and wondered why he was denied the mandate freely given to him by the people of the state.

She therefore, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to prevail,even as she asked the head of the electoral umpire,Prof. Attahiru Jega to return the mandate.

According to her,they would stop at nothing to ensure that justice and fairness prevail,saying the right thing must be done,to sustain the harmonious peaceful co-existence in the state.

Hajia Isa further decried the alleged distortion of electoral process,so as to put democracy on sound footing,stressing that the electorate should be allowed to freely decide who governs them.

Some of the inscriptions in the placard read: ”INEC return the money and give us our mandate,” “No going back on Audu,” “We voted for CAN”, “No retreat, no surrender,” among others.