The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has halted the proposed resumption of the collation process in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area (LGA) of Bauchi State for the Governorship election following an order of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted on Tuesday, 19th March 2019, restraining INEC from proceeding with collation and concluding the Governorship election. This order was made pursuant to an ex-parte application brought before the court by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State, seeking an interim injunction restraining INEC from concluding the Governorship election in the State, pending the determination of the substantive suit brought before the Court by the plaintiffs. However, INEC has reacted to the order by filing an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the ex-parte application made by APC and Governor Abubakar. Furthermore, supplementary elections will still hold in 15 LGAs of the State, as well as the Kirfi State Constituency supplementary elections.
Having considered the findings of the Committee set up by INEC to investigate the disruption of result collation at the Tafawa Balewa Collation Centre, INEC had resolved to resume and conclude collation for the Governorship election beginning on Tuesday, 19th March 2019, and subsequently announce results for Tafawa Balewa State Constituency. A statement issued by the Commission to this regard noted among other things that: the Investigative Committee established that election results in Polling Units and Registration Areas are in safe custody; the number of cancelled votes for four (4) Polling Units in Ningi LGA initially recorded as 25,330 was incorrect and the actual figure is 2,533. A new Collation Officer has been appointed to continue and conclude the collation process for Tafawa Balewa LGA, in place of the last Collation Officer, who withdrew on the basis of threats to her life and members of her family.