Just in: Bauchi guber: Court stops INEC from concluding announcement of governorship result

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to stop further collation, conclusion and announcement of result of the governorship election in Bauchi State held on March 9, 2019.

The court gave the order following an ex parte application filed by the Governor of Bauchi State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mohammed Abubakar.

Justice Inyang Ekwo held that the order would last till the determination of the suit brought before the court by the two plaintiffs.

In the ex parte motion, Governor 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 State in respect of the election to the office of Governor of Bauchi State.

Justice Ekwo had on Monday while ruling on the ex parte ordered INEC to appear before him on Tuesday to show cause why the order sought by the two plaintiffs ought not to be granted.

Instead of complying with the order of the court, INEC, represented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Tanimu Inuwa, approached the court with a motion challenging its jurisdiction.

Counsel to the plaintiffs, Ahmed Raji, however, objected to the application of INEC, informing the court that the order issued on Monday asking the electoral body to show cause why the requests of the plaintiffs should not be granted, had not been obeyed.

Responding, Inuwa admitted that the order had not been complied with and requested to address the court orally on the issue.

Justice Ekwo, however, refused to grant the request.

The judge held that since the ex parte application was in writing and duly served on the electoral umpire, it behoves on the defendant to appear before the court with a written or formal response.

Ruling, the judge granted the interim injunction restraining INEC from resuming, concluding and announcing the governorship election result in Bauchi State.