The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State has rejected the results that revalidated Governor Bala Mohammed’s reelection for a second term. The party’s governorship election agent, Abdulmumuni Kundak, refused to sign the result sheets, alleging they were marred by irregularities.
The Returning Officer for the Bauchi gubernatorial election, Prof. Abdulkarim Mohammed—Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Dutse, Jigawa State—announced Governor Bala Mohammed as the winner, stating that the incumbent secured the highest number of votes. According to the officer, Bala Mohammed won in 15 of the 20 local government areas (LGAs) with 528,280 votes, while his closest rival, Sadique Abubakar of the APC, won in Giade (his hometown), Gamawa, Darazo, Katagum and Misau, obtaining 432,272 votes. After the Returning Officer entered the results on Form EC 8, APC agents were invited to sign. Kundak declined, claiming the results were “cooked up” and not genuine. “I won’t sign the results because I am not satisfied. I’m not sure this is the genuine result. It is a cooked‑up result. I have made several alerts before everyone here. I won’t sign, except if they will hold my hand and force me to sign,” he said. He added, “Why should I sign the results? I didn’t sign because we are not joking with our stand. When I discuss with my candidate, we will know what we’ll do. I don’t accept this and I will forever not accept it.” Kundak also complained that the Returning Officer ignored his reports of irregularities and that witnesses were excluded when the results were presented.
In a petition to the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, the APC alleged massive rigging, violence and electoral malpractice, requesting the cancellation of results in five LGAs and the declaration of the election as inconclusive so a rerun could be held. The petition, signed by APC Legal Adviser Rabiu Garba, read: “We hereby complain of the massive rigging, violence and electoral malpractices committed which marred the Bauchi State Governorship election conducted on March 18, 2023 in Alkaleri, Kirfi, Toro, Warji and Zaki Local Government Areas.” The party highlighted incidents in LGAs where its supporters were numerous, such as Alkaleri, where “APC polling unit agents were chased away by PDP thugs who took over all polling units, thumb‑printed ballot papers without accreditation, and recorded results without an election. APC members were disenfranchised and molested by violence. The election in Alkaleri was characterised by over‑voting without cancellation, box snatching, and a returning officer who was beaten, tortured and threatened at gunpoint to sign the concocted result.” Garba concluded, “Consequent upon the above, we categorically state that the Governorship election of March 18, 2023, conducted in Bauchi State, was rendered invalid by reason of non‑compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC Guidelines for the 2023 General Elections. We therefore call for the cancellation of the Governorship election held in Alkaleri, Toro, Warji and Zaki LGAs and the declaration of the election in Bauchi State as inconclusive, and we request that INEC order supplementary elections in the aforementioned affected LGAs.”
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