The petition by the All Progressives Congress Party (APC) candidate for governor, Amb. Saddique Baba Abubakar, challenging the victory of Governor Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 governorship election has been pending since yesterday, according to the Bauchi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
After the parties to the dispute established their final addresses, this occurred.
However, the tribunal announced that it would give the parties notice of the date on which it would deliver its ruling during its meeting.
According to OBASANJO NEWS24, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is listed as the petition’s first respondent, followed by Governor Bala Mohammed and his deputy, Jatau, who are listed as the second and third respondents, respectively.
Adopting his final written address, the petitioners’ principal attorney, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, emphasised in his submission that the pleadings and facts presented before a tribunal determine whether a case is successful or unsuccessful.
He supported his claim by citing Section 73, Subsection 2, of the Electoral Act of 2022 as modified, which states that the supposed Election in the areas mentioned in their petition should be ruled unlawful.
In addition, he noted that the Election was riddled with irregularities as he pleaded with the Tribunal to grant the petition.
However, Chris Uche, counsel for the respondents, said in their closing remarks that the tribunal should reject the petition filed by the petitioners because they were unable to prove the claims made in the petition.
The respondent’s attorneys each contended that the March 18, 2023 governorship election in Bauchi State was conducted largely in accordance with the Electoral Act 2022’s guiding principles.
He consequently pleaded with the tribunal to reject the petition.
