UPDATED: Appeal Court affirms Bauchi Governor’s election, dismisses APC’s appeal

ARMSTRONG BAKAM, Bauchi

The Court of Appeal, Jos Division, on Friday, dismissed the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress in Bauchi State and its Governorship candidate, former Governor Mohammed Abubakar, against Governor Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The PUNCH had reported that the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Bauchi had, on 7th October 2019, dismissed the petition of the APC and its candidate in the election and affirmed the victory of Sen. Bala Mohammed as the duly elected Governor of Bauchi State.

Dissatisfied with the tribunal’s judgement, the APC approached the higher court asking it to set aside the lower Court’s judgment and declare its candidate, Abubakar as the duly elected Governor.

Delivering judgement on Friday, the 5 man panel dismissed all the four grounds of the appeal filed by the APC and its defeated candidate in the election.

Reading the judgement, Justice O. A Otisi held that all the grounds of appeal filed before the court by the appellants lacked merit and thereby dismissed them.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the judgement, Counsel for the Bauchi State Governor, Chris Uche, hailed the judgement saying it was a victory for democracy. He also described it as a reconfirmation and ratification of Bala Mohammed’s victory.

He said, “This is a very well-considered and good judgement and we are happy that this is further confirmation and ratification of the electoral victory of Gov. Bala Mohammed.

“This is the second time the court has affirmed him and as you can see, the appellants had no place because their appeal lacked merit, just as the court found it and that was why he said they never tried proving any of their allegations.”

Uche who taunted the APC and its Governorship candidate said “their case suffered from acute evidential deficiency both in quality and quantity.”

Asked if the APC and former Governor Abubakar decides to go to the Supreme Court, he said that “it is still the same case that is suffering from this deficiency that they are taking there. It is not a new case and what has befallen the case is what will follow it.”

Immediately after the judgement, there was wild jubilation by supporters of the governor and the PDP which caused serious traffic gridlock on the Yakubu Gowon Highway in the city center.