The All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi state chapter and its governorship candidate in the March 9 and 23 election, Muhammed Abdullahi Abubakar, have concluded plans to appeal against the judgement of the State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
The tribunal on Monday had dismissed a petition filed by the party and its candidate challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s declaration of Senator Bala Muhommed as the duly elected governor of the state.
The plaintive had asked the tribunal to invalidate the result of the election claiming over voting and manipulation of results in some local government areas and to declare its candidate and the immediate past governor, Muhammed Abdullahi Abubakar, the authentic governor-elect.
But the tribunal dismissed the prayers for lacking in merit, saying the plaintive failed to prove their case.
But speaking Tuesday in Bauchi, the state chairman of the APC, Alhaji Uba Nana, confirmed the decision of the party and former governor Abubakar to appeal the judgement, saying the court erred in its decision to handover the mandate freely given to its candidate to another person.
The chairman urged all party chieftains and supporters to stay focus, composed and law abiding, adding that they should not be demoralized by the outcome of the tribunal.
Spokesman of the former governor, Ali M. Ali, said: “We are appealing judgement and already our lawyers have been instructed to file an appeal after studying the judgement.”
Abubakar assured that they would reclaim the stolen mandate from the PDP and its candidate at the Court of Appeal and appealed to APC members and supporters of the former governor to avoid breach of peace buy remaining calm.
“We are peaceful and peace-loving people in the APC; we believe in the rule of law and we are going to tread the path of legal to reclaim the mandate given to us by the generality of the people of Bauchi state,” he said.