Court Stops INEC From Collating And Announcing Bauchi Governorship Election Result

Court Wades Into Bauchi Election Result Saga

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from going ahead with the collation, concluding and the announcement of the result of the March 9 governorship election in Bauchi State.

The court, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo on Tuesday granted an ex parte application filed by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the incumbent Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar to stop INEC from resuming, concluding or announcing the result of the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State in respect of the election to the office of Governor of Bauchi State.

According to the Judge, the ruling shall, however, only last till the determination of the suit brought before the court by the two plaintiffs.

Naija News recalls INEC had earlier announced its decision to resume, conclude and announce the result of the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State in respect of the election to the office of Governor of Bauchi State.

However, in the ex parte motion, the APC and Abubakar had prayed the court for an order of Interim Injunction restraining INEC from going ahead with this announcement.

Justice Ekwo on Monday while ruling on the ex parte motion had ordered INEC to appear before him on Tuesday to show cause why the order sought by the two plaintiffs ought not to be granted. Instead of complying with the order of the court, INEC represented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Tanimu Inuwa, at Tuesday’s proceedings approached the court with a motion challenging its jurisdiction.

In his bench ruling, the judge granted the interim injunction restraining INEC from resuming, concluding and announcing the governorship election result in Bauchi State pending the determination of all issues raised by the plaintiffs in their originating summons.

Justice Ekwo also granted an accelerated hearing in the matter and ordered parties to appear before him on Wednesday, 20, to present their positions in the substantive matter.