The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Bauchi state has fixed Monday October 7, 2019, as the day for
the final ruling in the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of the state Mohammed Abubakar against the victory of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the incumbent governor Bala Mohammed in the last 2019 polls.
Chairman of the Tribunal Justice Salihu Shuibu, fixed the final judgement day on Wednesday after listening and accepting the final written arguments of the petitioners and respondents presented before the court.
Our Correspondent reports that while presenting their final written argument, the APC prayed the court to nullify the
declaration of the PDP candidate as winner of the election over alleged over voting and non- compliance with provisions of the electoral act.
Counsel to the petitioners argued that over 306 polling units were affected in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro local governments, alleging that the clear cases of over voting allegedly witnessed was enough to nullify INEC’s declaration of Bala Mohammed as winner of the governorship election.
They prayed the court to order INEC to sort out votes that were invalid from valid votes, stating that the process would reveal that the APC candidate would be the winner in the governorship election.
Also presenting their written argument, counsels to Bala argued that the petitioners failed to establish their case and urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lack of merit.
Our Correspondent also reports that numerous police men were deployed to the court premises to maintain law and order during the sitting just as crowds of APC and PDP supporters trooped to the court to witness the session.
