The Supreme Court has laid to rest the Bauchi State governorship election dispute in a final judgement that affirms Governor Bala Mohammed as validly elected during the March 2023 poll in the state.
A panel of the Supreme Court, led by Inyang Okoro, unanimously dismissed the appeal challenging Mr Mohammed’s victory on Friday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Governor Bala Mohammed of the Mr Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the 18 March 2023 governorship election in Bauchi State.
But the governor’s victory was challenged at the Bauchi State governorship election petition tribunal and later at the Court of Appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Sadique Abubakar.
Mr Abubakar lost in both courts. But displeased with the judgements of the two lower courts, he proceeded to the Supreme Court to further challenge Governor Mohammed’s election.
Delivering the lead decision on Friday, a member of the Supreme Court panel, Ibrahim Saulawa, held that the APC candidate was unable to prove at the election petition tribunal his allegations of anomaly such as improper filing of election results during the election, and how the breaches substantially affected the outcome of the 18 March 2023 poll.
The justice added that the appellant failed to discharge the burden of proof as required of him by the law.
He noted that the appellant’s witnesses were not polling unit agents, so they could not have given credible testimonies that met legal standards about what transpired at the poll units during the election.
ALSO READ: Controversy as Bauchi governor awards 11 kilometres road for N10.3 billion
“On the basis of the findings, having effectively resolved all the issues against the appellant, the appeal is apparently devoid of merit. The judgement of the Court of Appeal is hereby affirmed. The appeal is dismissed,” Mr Saulawa ruled.
The decision affirming Mr Mohammed as the elected governor of Bauchi State lays to rest the disputes over last year’s governorship election in the state, as the Supreme Court is the final court of adjudication on the case.
Share this:
Support PREMIUM TIMES’ journalism of integrity and credibility
Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.
For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.
Donate
[embedded content]
TEXT AD: Call Willie – +2348098788999
Source: