The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has suspended the collation of the results of the governorship election in Bauchi State in compliance with the order of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The compliance with the order was announced on Tuesday by the Bauchi Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Ibrahim Abdullahi.
He said INEC had got a copy of the order of the court.
His words: “As you are aware, we have been indulged by members of the press as to the news that in respect of the news making the rounds in respect of Tafawa Balewa.
“So, I am to inform you formally that the Independent National Electoral Commission is in receipt of a court order restraining it from proceeding with the collation and announcement of results in respect of Tafawa Balewa only.
“I’m also to add that the order which was sort and granted does not include the Tafawa Balewa constituency, hence we will make arrangements to continue with the state constituency collation and subsequently announce the results.”
The order to stop the exercise was given following a suit by Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State to that effect.
His argument was that INEC had no right to cancel the decision to conduct a supplementary election which it had earlier scheduled to hold on March 23.
He therefore sought the order of the court that INEC should be restrained from resuming, concluding or announcing the result of the Tafawa Balewa local government area of Bauchi State.
While restraining INEC, the court however said the order was pending the determination of the suit brought before the court by the governor.
