INEC vacates court order, says supplementary election will hold in Bauchi

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that the supplementary governorship election earlier scheduled to hold in Bauchi State will still hold, even though the issue has become a subject of litigation.

The litigation, INEC said, was initiated by the All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Mohammed Abubakar.

Taking to its verified Twitter handle @inecnigeria on Thursday, INEC said an interlocutory injunction to suspend the process has been served on the Commission by the Federal High Court, Abuja.

“While the Commission has complied in accordance with its policy to obey all court orders in deference to the rule of law, it has also taken urgent steps to vacate the order and dismiss the action,” INEC said.

It noted that the litigation and consequential order only affect the collation of results for the governorship election in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area.

“Consequently, the supplementary elections will proceed as scheduled on Saturday, 23 March in the other 15 Local Government Areas of Bauchi State as well as the Kirfi State Constituency Supplementary Election in Kirfi Local Government Area,” the Commission said.