PDP Defeats APC At Supreme Court Over Bauchi Governorship Election

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s victory in the March 18, 2023 Bauchi governorship election has been upheld by the Supreme Court.

The PDP through its flagbearer, Governor Bala Mohammed, thus defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Sadique Abubakar who had been challenging the election.

In a unanimous decision by a five-member panel led by Justice Inyang Okoro, the Supreme Court today,  ruled that the APC appeal over the election of Mohammed lacked merit.

It added that it therefore found no reason to dislodge the judgements of the lower courts earlier delivered on the same case.

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The apex court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, therefore dismissed an appeal the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate, Sadique Abubakar, filed to challenge the outcome of the Bauchi Governorship Election that was held in the state on March 18, 2023.

Abubakar and his party had contended that Governor Mohammed, who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was not the valid winner of the gubernatorial contest.

According to them, the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act 2022, even as they added that several electoral documents that were used during the poll were not properly filled.

However, both the Bauchi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Jos dismissed Abubakar’s case and upheld Governor Mohammed’s election victory.

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That notwithstanding, the APC candidate had gone ahead to lodge an appeal before the Supreme Court, which incidentally, upheld the earlier judgment in favour of the PDP candidate.

The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision by a five-member panel said it found no reason to dislodge the judgements of the lower courts.

According to the apex court, the appeal by the APC and its candidate therefore lacked merit and has been struck off.