TheCable

A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to proceed with the collation of the result of the March 9 governorship election in Bauchi state.

Mohammed Abubakar, governor of Bauchi state and candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the election, had headed to the court to challenge INEC’s decision to continue collating the result instead of conducting supplementary election as earlier planned.

Inyang Ekwo, a member of the panel that heard the suit on Tuesday, held that the order would last till the determination of the suit brought before the court by the plaintiff.

In the ex parte motion, Abubakar prayed the court for an order of interim injunction restraining INEC from resuming, concluding or announcing the result of the Tafawa Balewa local government area of Bauchi.

The commission had initially listed Bauchi among the six states where supplementary election will hold on Saturday.

After his ruling, the judge ordered parties to appear before him on Wednesday to present their positions on the substantive matter.

Bala Mohammed, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polled 469,512 votes ahead of Abubakar who secured 465,453 votes.

After meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Monday, Abubakar told state house correspondents that Buhari endorsed his decision to go to court.