Appeal Court Sacks Bauchi Speaker, Orders Rerun In 10 Polling Units

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja yesterday sacked the speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Abubakar Suleiman as member representing Ningi Central and declared the March 18 election of his constituency inconclusive.

The appellate court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections in 10 polling units in Ningi Central Constituency.

It would be recalled that Arch Khalid Abdulmalik Ningi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenged the declaration of the Rt Hon Suleiman as the winner of State Assembly election for Ningi Central Constituency, but the Bauchi State Election Tribunal dismissed the case for ‘lacking in merit’.

Arch Khalid again headed to the Appeal Court challenging the victory of Hon Suleiman.

The court therefore set aside the judgement of the Election Petition Tribunal that affirmed the election of Hon Suleiman as member representing Ningi Central.

Reacting to the judgement, Rt Hon Suleiman urged his supporters and all people of the constituency to remain calm.

He said that although the judgement was unfavourable, as a Muslim, he believes in all fates, thus he accepts the judgement in good faith.

While describing the judgement as a minor political setback which is not new in his political career, the speaker said that he is ever ready for the rerun election to add to the almost two thousand votes margin he gave his opponent.

Abubakar in a statement by his media aide, Abdul Ahmad Burra, stated that the support and solidarity he has been enjoying in Ningi remain intact and no amount of effort to pull him down would succeed.