Re-run election: Former Bauchi Assembly speaker reclaims mandate
…as REC Nura commends peaceful conduct of voters
By Samuel Luka
The immediate past Bauchi State House of Assembly Speaker and member representing Ningi constituency in the state assembly under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Rt. Honourable Abubakar Y. Suleiman has reclaimed his mandate in a re-run election conducted on Saturday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returning Officer for the rerun elections, Prof Ahmed Abdulhamid declared Abubakar Y. Sulaiman as winner after the collation of the election results at the INEC office in Ningi.
“By the powers conferred on me as the Returning Officer, having fulfil the requirements and scored the highest total number of votes cast, I Prof Ahmed Abdulhameed hereby declare Abubakar Y. Suleiman of the PDP as the duly elected member of the State House of Assembly.”, He said.
The returning officer declared that Abubakar Y. Suleiman of the PDP polled a total of 11,785 votes to defeat his closet opponent of the APC, Khalid Captain Ningi.
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It can be recalled that the Appeal Court had ordered for a rerun of election in 10 polling units of Ningi State Constituency following an appeal by the APC candidate against the judgement of the Tribunal which upheld Abubakar’s election victory in the 2023 general elections.
Meanwhile the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has adjudged as peaceful Saturday’s re-run elections across 42 polling units to fill vacant positions in the Bauchi State House of Assembly.
This Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Nura gave the conduct of the election a pass mark after monitoring the process in several polling units.
According to Alhaji Nura, the exercise was peaceful in all 42 polling units.
“There was no issue of malfunctioning of election machines, materials and missing names of voters”, the REC further disclosed.
“Bye-election was conducted in 42 polling units of four state assembly constituencies three local government areas of Bauchi, Ningi and Katagum,” Alhaji Mohammed Nura added.
Impressed by the large turnout of voters, the REC who commended them for conducting themselves in an orderly manner noted that due to the large turnout the commission was compelled to inform security agencies to deploy more personnel for crowd control.
Alhaji Nura who expressed satisfaction with the zeal of the voters advised political parties to play by the rules and shun ballot snatching, vote buying, and thuggery among others in future election.
