By Rayyanu Bala

A former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Nasarawa State, Hon. Ibrahim Hamza, has dismissed claims credited to Francis Orogu that Dr. David Ombugadu has never lost an election in the state.

In a statement issued in Lafia on Monday evening and made available to Nasarawa Eye, Hamza, who served as the PDP Public Relations Officer for six years, said he was fully aware of election outcomes in the state, particularly the 2023 general elections. He insisted that no PDP result was tampered with to favour the All Progressives Congress (APC), contrary to insinuations in some quarters.

Hamza maintained that electoral victory is only valid when declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), stressing that Ombugadu has never been declared winner of any governorship election in Nasarawa State. He added that neither the Court of Appeal nor the Supreme Court has ever upheld any claim that Ombugadu won a governorship contest.

“If Orogu has any evidence that Ombugadu won elections in Nasarawa State, he should present it,” Hamza stated.

He criticised Orogu for what he described as a deliberate attempt to distort historical facts, warning that such efforts “will not and will never fly.”

Hamza also argued that Ombugadu’s electoral losses were not influenced by ethnic or religious sentiments, but by public concerns over the source of funds used during his campaigns.

“The people of Nasarawa State did not vote for Ombugadu not because of tribe or religion but because they did not trust the source of his campaign funds,” he said.

Hamza insisted that Ombugadu’s electoral history includes “several legitimate defeats,” adding that Orogu’s claims contradict the clear outcomes of past elections.

“In all the elections that Ombugadu lost, the results were fair and square. There is no amount of propaganda that will convince the people that Ombugadu has never lost an election,” he added.

Hamza concluded by reaffirming that attempts to rewrite Nasarawa’s electoral history would not succeed.