A coalition of youth groups known as Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed Vanguard (BAM-V) has described last Friday’s verdict of the Supreme Court which upheld the judgement of both the Election Petitions Tribunal and Appeal Court on the affirmation of Governor Bala Mohammed as the validly elected governor of Bauchi State as a victory for democracy.
The group, in a press statement, signed by its director-general, Comrade Mohammed Abubakar Jibo, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, said with the apex court’s verdict, all disputes concerning the Bauchi State governorship election have been laid to rest and urged the opposition parties in the state, particularly the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Ambassador Saddique Baba Abubakar, to accept defeat and join hands with Governor Mohammed in the task of developing the state.
“The Supreme Court’s judgement in the Bauchi State governorship election is a victory for democracy and an affirmation of the will of the people of the state who elected Governor Bala Mohammed for a second term in office in last year’s general elections.
“To us as a group and individuals, we strongly believe that what the Supreme Court verdict represents is the sanctity of the power of the electorates to freely elect their leaders at all levels of government. The Bauchi people spoke through the ballots on March 18, 2023, though the opposition refused to accept the people’s voice.
“The people overwhelmingly elected Governor Mohammed for a second term in office as a reward for his hard work in office during his first term and the Supreme Court has said yes clearly and loudly too to their voice.
“It gladdens us as a group routing for democracy and good governance that the will of the people of Bauchi State has been validated by the Apex Court in Nigeria,” the group stated.
The group stated that the saying that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man is not a mere slogan as the governor’s victory at all levels of electoral adjudications have confirmed.
While congratulating Governor Mohammed for yet another victory for him and the people of Bauchi State, BAM-V advised the governor to always remember that the overwhelming votes the electorate gave him were for good governance, progress and development and as such he should continue in that path with a view to further take Bauchi State to greater heights.
“We, therefore, call on the Governor to continue to bring more dividends of democracy to the people of Bauchi State, knowing that to whom much is given more is expected from him. BAM-V has implicit confidence in him to do more for the people,” Comrade Jibo stated.
