Jos Division of Court of Appeal has heard and adjourned for judgement the appeal brought before it by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and its defeated candidate in the last gubernatorial election, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar.
It will be recalled that the Election Petition Tribunal 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 Abdulkadir as the duly elected Governor of Bauchi State- a judgement that was appealed against by the APC.
Lead Counsel to the APC and its candidate Hassan Liman said their main ground of appeal was over voting recoded during the conduct of the election which gave victory to the PDP and its candidate, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir.
The Lead Counsel therefore urged the Appeal Court to dismiss the judgement of the tribunal and declare his client winner of the election or at most order for a fresh election.
In their respective replies, the Lead Counsel to the PDP, Chris Uche, Lead Counsel to INEC, Illo Sunusi and the Lead Counsel to PDP, Ibrahim Isiyaku all submitted that the issue of over voting as claimed by the appellant does not hold water as all the witnesses they called during the trial at Tribunal agreed that there was no over voting as claimed.
Chris Uche and his colleagues therefore urged the Appeal Court to dismissed the appeal for lack of merit and affirm the judgement of the trial Tribunal which was in their favor.
After listening to the submissions of all the parties, the five members Appeal Court adjourned for judgement saying that the date will be communicated to the parties.
Ishola Michael Bauchi
