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INEC Declares PDP’s Muhammed Winner of Bauchi Governorship Poll - Edoman - 03-26-2019
INEC Declares PDP’s Muhammed Winner of Bauchi Governorship Poll
3/26/2019 06:34:00 am politics
![[Image: 3e1036d3-bala-mohammed-696x551.jpg]](https://storage.googleapis.com/thisday-846548948316-wp-data/wp-media/2019/03/3e1036d3-bala-mohammed-696x551.jpg)
Adedayo Akinwale, Alex Enumah in Abuja, Innocent Onuminya in Sokoto and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
Victory eventually came the way of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State last night as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared its candidate, Senator Bala Muhammed, the winner of the governorship poll held on March 9, 2019.
Akelicious checks revealed that Muhammed is the first to defeat an incumbent governor in the state since the return to democracy in 1999.
The State Returning Officer, Prof. Muhammed Kyari, said: “PDP candidate polled a total 515,113 votes, while his closest rival, Governor Muhammad Abubakar of the ruling APC scored 500,625.”
Kyari said 2,462,843 registered but 1,143,019 were accredited to vote. He put the valid votes at 1,111,406 saying 22,566 votes were rejected.
“I Professor Muhammed Kyari, the returning officer for the governorship election on March 10, 23 of March and concluded today, March 25, 2019, having satisfied with requirements of the law, Bala Muhammed of PDP has scored highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner and he is return elected,” Prof. Kyari declared.
Muhammed’s closest opponent, Governor Muhammed Abubakar, immediately accepted defeat and congratulated Muhammed.
A congratulatory message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mallam Ali M. Ali and made available to newsmen in Bauchi last night said the governor wished governor-elect well.
“I congratulate my brother, Senator Bala, on this victory at the polls,” he said, adding: “I am delighted to note that in spite of the intensity of the campaigns in our dear state, a peaceful election took place without bloodshed.”
Abubakar stated further: “Let me therefore invite the governor-elect to join me in working out the process of a smooth transition.
“I sincerely thank the entire people of Bauchi State for their support to my administration and urge them to extend the same to the incoming administration.
“I also urge the governor-elect to caution his supporters to be law abiding while celebrating since the period of campaigns is now over.”
Earlier in the day, a Federal High Court in Abuja had dismissed a suit filed by Abubakar, and the APC challenging the decision of INEC to resume collation of results of the state’s gubernatorial election.
Justice Inyang Ekwo gave INEC, the go-ahead to precede with the collation and announcement of the Bauchi State’s governorship election results, held on March 9.
In a similar, case, Justice Ekwo, yesterday adjourned till March 28 hearing in a suit seeking to stop the INEC from proceeding with the collation, conclusion and announcement of results in the March 9, Governorship and House of Assembly election in Rivers State.
INEC had declared the Bauchi election inconclusive on the grounds that the number of cancelled votes was higher than the margin of lead between the two top political parties.
The electoral body later announced that it would resume collation because it found out that the number of cancelled votes was tampered with, a decision Abubakar and the APC challenged in court.
In a judgment yesterday, Justice Ekwo declined jurisdiction and disagreed with plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mr. Ahmed Raji SAN, that the suit related to pre-election matters.
Justice Ekwo set aside the order for maintenance of status quo earlier made by the court and ordered INEC to proceed with its activities geared at concluding the governorship election in Bauchi State.
The judge said although his court has jurisdiction to determine the questions, relating to the interpretation of the Constitution and Electoral Act, raised in the suit, he would prefer to allow election tribunal with an overall jurisdiction over election matters to handle the case.
He directed that INEC should be allowed to conclude its constitutional responsibilities in relation to the Bauchi governorship election, following which any aggrieved party could approach an election tribunal.
Justice Ekwo said: “My view is that this court has jurisdiction to interpret the provision of the Constitution as to the alleged breach of the plaintiff’s fundamental right to fair hearing and interpret the provision of the Electoral Act tabled before the court.
“And also looking at the provision of Section 60 of Electoral Act, the court or tribunal can determine the issues thereof. It can then be said that there is concurrence of jurisdiction between this court and the Election Petition Tribunal on this issue.
“The difference in this case is that the alleged infringement occurred in the process of an election and the decision of the defendant in Exhibit B (the press releases issued by INEC on March 15, 2019) also occurred in the process of an election.”