THE candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Senator Bala Mohammed,  has  won  the Bauchi State governorship election.

He defeated the incumbent governor, Mohammed Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

According to the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC at 11.18pm on Monday, Mohammed, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,  polled a total of 515,113 votes to defeat Governor Abubakar who got 500,625 votes.

According to the results,  Mohammed had a landslide victory in seven local government areas out of the 20 in the state while Abubakar on the other hand, won in 13 LGAs with slimmer margins.

The state Returning Officer, Prof. Kyari Mohammed, who announced the result at exactly 11.18pm on Monday said, “I, Prof. Kyari Mohammed, declares that I was the Returning Officer of the election in Bauchi State and that Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of the PDP, have satisfied the requirements of the law and having scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared winner and is returned elected.”

INEC, had on Monday resumed the collation of results of the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of the state, after a Federal High Court Abuja vacated an order, which it gave on March 19.

The court had ordered INEC to halt the collation of the results of the local government.

But on Monday, it gave INEC the leeway to continue the collation of the results, which the commission resumed at 4pm.

Meanwhile, the Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar has congratulated the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Governor, in a congratulatory message, signed and made available to newsmen in Bauchi on Monday night, through his Special Adviser, Media and Strategy, Ali Ali expressed his satisfaction with the process.

He said, “I wish to congratulate the Governor-elect of Bauchi state Senator  Bala Mohammed. I congratulate my brother, Sen Bala on this victory at the polls.

“I am delighted to note that in spite of the intensity of the campaigns in our dear state, a peaceful election took place without bloodshed.”

Gov Abubakar added, “Let me, therefore, invite the Governor-elect to join me in working out the process of a smooth transition.

“I sincerely thank the entire people of Bauchi state for their support to my administration and urge them to extend the same to the incoming administration.”

He urged the governor-elect to caution his supporters to be law-abiding while celebrating since the period of campaigns is now over. – The Citizen

BE

– Mar. 26, 2019 @ 08:40 GMT /