The Governorship Candidate of the People Democratic Party, PDP in Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed has emerged winner of the governorship election.

Mohammed defeated the incumbent Governor and Candidate of the All Progressive Congress, (APC), Muhammed Abubakar.

This was confirmed after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC announced the collated figures if Tafawa Balewa Local Government.

The result was regenerated and announced at the INEC headquarters on Monday night.

Announcing the result, the new collation officer of Tafawa Balewa Local government area, Dr Musa Dahiru of the Federal University Kashere, said that PDP polled 39,225 votes as against 30, 055 votes scored by the All Progressive Congress, APC and incumbent Governor Muhammed Abubakar.

Total registered voters at Tafawa Balewa LGA was 139,240, while total accredited voters stood at 74,181.

The total votes cast was 73,779, total valid votes, 73041, and rejected votes 738.

The former Federal Capital Teritory, FCT Minister had also led in the March 9 governorship election conducted in the state.

With the results of Tafawa Balewa and other polling units where votes were cancelled pending, Bala Mohammed was already leading the incumbent governor.

INEC had cancelled the results of Tafawa Balewa after the collation officer recomputed the results without the permission of the state Returning Officer.

The results were recomputed after thugs had invaded the venue of the collation and made way with the collation sheet being used.

According to the State Returning Officer, the electoral law required that such moves can only be made with the permission of either the him or the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC. He therefore cancelled the results from the LGA.

This ruling was however upturned after INEC set up a facts finding panel to investigate the matter.

The panel concluded that since all other procedures were followed asides informing the Returning Officer, it could go on.

The electoral commission therefore cancelled the supplementary election earlier scheduled for the LGAs and fixed a new date for the collation and announcement of results, a move which was condemned by the APC.

The APC thereafter approached a Federal High Court in Abuja which ordered that the collation exercise be suspended.

The same court however relaxed the order yesterday, paving way for INEC to complete the collation and announce Bala Mohammed as the new governor of the state.

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