The Supreme Court has reserved its decision on Sadique Abubakar’s challenge against Governor Bala Mohammed’s election as the All Progressives Congress Bauchi governorship candidate.
Abubakar’s appeals were dismissed by both the tribunal and the court of appeals for lack of merit.
Abubakar said that numerous electoral documents utilized during the election were incomplete.
The appeal court, however, ruled that the APC candidate failed to produce convincing evidence and testimony to back up his claims.
Abubakar, who was dissatisfied with the appeal court’s decision, filed an appeal with the Supreme Court.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Abubakar’s lawyer, J. Owonikoko, urged the court to overrule the lower court’s judgment, claiming that the court failed to rule on the faulty electoral records presented as evidence.
Mohammed N., counsel for INEC, informed the Supreme Court that the tribunal only identified blank spots in some of the electoral forms, not all of them.
Mohammed stated that there was no proof of forms being filled out incorrectly at the tribunal.
Chris Uche, the governor’s counsel, called the appeal unnecessary.
Uche stated that the appellant failed to bring any witnesses to support the documents presented.
He said,
“The appellants never brought any witnesses to speak to the electoral documents tendered at the tribunal.
“They did not have materials to support their case. I urge my lords to dismiss this appeal. ”
After listening to the parties’ argument, the five-man panel of the court led by John Okoro reserved judgment on the matter.