By Daniel Njienue, March 20, 2019, news/comment
ABUJA-With the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja, earlier, yesterday, which asked INEC not to continue with the collation of Tafawa Balewa council of Bauchi state, has created a lot of criticism within the lover of true democracy, while others are of the opinion that the court is now an element of hide out for perceived losers, who wants to remain in power by all means. The court order is based on a motion filed by Governor Mohammed Abubakar, who is also the candidate of APC, running for the second term in office. It could be recall that after the March 9 governorship poll, The Independent National Election Commission, INEC had declared the election inconclusive and fixed March 23, for a supplementary election.
In the results released before the suspension, Governor Abubakar is behind his PDP opponent, Senator Bala Mohammed with 4,059 votes. While the governor had 465,453 votes, Senator Mohammed scored 469,512 votes. However, Tafawa Balewa LGA has 139,240 eligible voters.
In Tafawa Balewa, PDP scored 40,010 votes while APC had 20,862 but the result was rejected because it was recorded in a replacement form without approval from the state returning officer.
According to the collation officer, Mrs. Dominion Anosike, had said that suspected political thugs took away the original result sheet and that she cannot continue as her life is being threatened. This made INEC to suspend collation of the results but later reversed its decision and said it would resume collation of the results in affected areas, including Tafawa Balewa local council and thereafter, announce the winner.
This infuriated the governor, knowing that, he is already out if INEC is allowed to proceed in the announcement. In the ex parte motion, filed by the governor, Abubakar, he however, prayed the court for an order of interim injunction restraining INEC from resuming, concluding or announcing the result of the Tafawa Balewa of the state.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has warned the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, not to force it to seek ex-parte order, stopping the swearing in of President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29. The party gave the warning while reacting to an Abuja High Court order, which ordered Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from resuming collation of the governorship election results in Bauchi State. Bauchi State Resident Electoral Commissioner.
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