The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and incumbent governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, as winner of the governorship election in the state.
Declaring the results at the Bauchi INEC office on Monday, the returning officer, Professor Abdulkarim Sabo Muhammed, said the PDP candidate polled 525,280 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar (retd), who scored 433,272 votes.
The candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Halliru Jika, came third with 60,496 votes.
“I Professor Abdulkarim Sabo Muhammad hereby certify that I am the returning officer of the Bauchi governorship election in Bauchi held on the 18th day of March 2023.
“That Bala Mohammed Abdukadir of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared winner and returned elected,” he said.
Meanwhile the agent of the main opposition APC, Hon Abdulmumin Muhammad Kundak, rejected the results and declined to sign, alleging that there were violence and over voting in 77 polling units in Bauchi local government alone.
“I will not sign the result because it was a cooked result and I have raised the alarm and made several complaints to the returning officer but all turned a deaf ear. You are a living witness to the constitutional issues and provisions of the Electoral Act,” Kundak said
Kundak made the allegations while questioning the returning officer for Bauchi LGA, Dr Muhammad Mukhtar Musa, shortly after presenting the results at the collation centre at the INEC headquarters in Bauchi.
He said, “You only mention one reason, over voting, for the cancellation of polling units, while you declined to report the violence in more than 70 polling units reported during collation under you, especially in Kundunron and Mummusar where APC party agents were attacked and injured.
“Again in Burshin Miri, the returning officer and two of our agents were kidnapped and whisked to an unknown destination. When they raised the alarm, the police arrested them.
“In Shekal Primary School, our agents was compelled to sign the results sheet after negotiation failed and he signed it under duress. Are all these and other complaints not enough for you to report the reasons for cancellation except over voting?
“You will hear our next line of action after I consult with my gubernatorial candidate about what transpired. We want to thank the people of Bauchi State for the massive support and solidarity and I equally called on them to remain calm as the leadership of the party will follow legitimate means to reclaim their mandates.”
(Daily Trust)
