The Supreme Court of Nigeria has on Thursday reserved judgment in the appeal challenging the verdict of the court of appeal which affirmed the election of Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed of the People’s Democratic Party PDP in the March 18 Governorship elections.
The Apex Court reserved the date after all counsels adopted their final addresses.
Justice Inyang Okoro informed the counsels that the date for the judgment would be communicated to them at the appropriate time.
The Appeal Court in Abuja had on November 17th affirmed Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed of the People’s Democratic Party PDP as the elected Governor of the State.
At Thursday’s hearing, counsel to APC candidate Abiodun Owonikoko told the apex court to set aside the judgement of the appeal Court arguing that the tribunal had failed to make pronouncement on the invalid electoral documents tendered as evidence before it.
INEC counsel, Mr Mohammed told the apex court that the tribunal only found blank spaces in some of the electoral forms and not on all the forms.
The lawyer said there was no evidence of forms that were improperly filled at the tribunal.
Counsel to the Governor, Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, asked the apex court chaired by Justice Inyang Okoro to dismiss what he called “the needless appeal”.
Uche said the appellants never brought any witnesses to speak to the electoral documents tendered at the tribunal.
“They did not have materials to support their case,” Uche argued, asking the court to dismiss the appeal.
After hearing the parties, Justice Okoro reserved judgment to a date to be communicated to the parties.
Meanwhile, speaking after the court’s sitting, Governor Bala Mohammed expressed confidence in the judiciary to pass favourable judgment.
Emmanuel Ukoh
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