Bauchi guber election tribunal reserves judgement in Abubakar’s petition against Bala Mohammed

By Musa Adamu

Bauchi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal yesterday reserved judgment in the petition by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress Party (APC), Amb. Saddique Baba Abubakar, challenging the victory of Governor Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 governorship election.
This came after parties in the matter had adopted their final addresses.
However, the tribunal said during its sitting that it would communicate a date to deliver its judgment to the parties.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the first respondent in the petition while Governor Bala Mohammed and his Deputy, Jatau is listed as the second and third respondent, respectively.
Adopting his final written address, the lead Counsel to the petitioners, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), in his submission argued that what determines the failure or success of a case is the pleadings and evidence laid before a Tribunal.
He cited Section 73, Subsection 2, of the Electoral Act 2022 as amended, arguing that the purported Election in those areas raised in their petition should be declared invalid.
This is as he urged the Tribunal to allow the petition, adding that the Election was fraught with irregularities.
But Counsel to the Respondents, Chris Uche, in their final address, submitted that the tribunal should dismiss the petition filed by the petitioners on the basis that they failed to prove the allegations contained in the petition.
The Counsel to the Respondents argued, respectively, that the March 18th, 2023 Governorship Election held in Bauchi State was conducted substantially in compliance with the principles of the Electoral Act 2022.
He, therefore, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition.