Supreme Court Upholds Bala Mohammed's Victory as Bauchi Governor
In a significant blow to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Bala Mohammed from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Governor of Bauchi state. The dismissal of the appeal, filed by Sadique Abubakar of the APC challenging the outcome of the gubernatorial election held on March 18, 2023, solidifies Governor Mohammed's position.
The court, in its judgment, declared the appeal lacking in merit, emphasizing that the appellants failed to substantiate their case. Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, leading the judgment, addressed the six identified issues in the appeal against the appellants, ruling that the appeal was without merit and subsequently dismissing it.
Governor Bala Mohammed, elated by the verdict, expressed gratitude to God and the people of Bauchi state for their unwavering support. Taking to his social media platform, he shared photos from the court session, thanking his party, the PDP, for standing by him during challenging times. The governor's tweet conveyed appreciation to stakeholders, including religious and faith leaders, political associates, friends, and well-wishers, reaffirming that the victory belonged to the people of Bauchi State.
The dispute over the Bauchi election centered on the APC's claim that Governor Mohammed, the PDP candidate, was not the valid winner, alleging non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and improper filling of electoral documents. Despite the dismissals by the Bauchi state governorship election petitions tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Jos, the APC candidate, dissatisfied with the outcomes, pursued an appeal before the Supreme Court, arguing that the evaluation of his case was inadequately done by the tribunal. The recent Supreme Court decision puts an end to the legal challenges surrounding the Bauchi state governorship election.