Bauchi State Governor-elect, has given his approval to his lawyers to file a suit against the outgoing Governor of the state, Mohammad Abubakar for the alleged recruitment of civil servants, reinstatement of District Heads and award of new contracts through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) barely six weeks to the end of his administration.
Bala Muhammed gave the approval while hosting a group of Lawyers under the aegis of Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBALAC) during an interactive session held at the weekend at the Command Guest House in Bauchi.
Also in a determined effort to defend its mandate in the last gubernatorial election, Bauchi State chapter of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has engaged the services of 5 Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SANs ) 10 other senior lawyers and 50 indigenous lawyers from State against the challenge of the APC petition at the Election Petition Tribunal.
The disclosure was made by the Governor-elect, Senator Bala Muhammad Abdulkadir following the petition filed on Friday by the outgoing Governor, Mohammad Abdullahi Abubakar and the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bauchi State challenging the victory of PDP and its candidate in the election.
The Governor-elect while reacting to the development on Saturday, however, noted that though his party nor himself was yet to be served a copy of the petition, the PDP and him are readily prepared to tackle Governor Mohammed Abubakar and the APC in the foreseeable judicial contest.
While addressing newsmen at the Command Guest House in Bauchi when he received the group of lawyers known as the Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBALAC) who have volunteered to mobilise 50 lawyers in his defence, Bala Mohammed said: “The issue of APC taking me and my party to the Tribunal is a normal thing, that is why it is provided in the electoral act”.
He added that, “I want to use this opportunity to thank my supporters and the people of Bauchi state for their show of patience. The petition is nothing to worry about because we have taken necessary measures. Though we have not been served with the processes, once we are served and we see the details, we are going to respond”.
The Governor-elect added that “We are also going to engage our lawyers, about five Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SANs), about ten other senior lawyers and 50 Bauchi indigenous lawyers. That is to say, the APC petition at the Tribunal is dead on arrival due to the support of the Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBALAC).”
Bala Muhammed while accepting the offer of BOBALAC to be part of his legal team, said he is highly privileged to be rendered such services by the lawyers of conscience and quality saying, “My legal team has accepted your partnership as your kind gesture shows patriotism,”.
He said further that his election is an act from God saying it has come to many as a surprise due to the fact that nobody expected it to be considering the power of incumbency and other factors related to the conduct of the gubernatorial election in the state.
Bala Muhammad who promised to run an all-inclusive administration expressed readiness to partner with civil society groups and resource persons in order to develop the state just as he decried youth’s restiveness, employment and thuggery in the state pledging that on assumption of office, he would come up with rehabilitation programs to train and engage them as sanitary inspectors and security guards.
The Chief Convener of BOBALAC, Barrister Shipi Rabo, had in his address during the interactive session, requested the Governor-elect to grant them permission to sue the Governor, Mohammed Abubakar in court on the three issues a request which Bala Mohammed granted and then gave them the permission to go ahead with their plan.
Also speaking, one of the leaders of the group, Barrister Jibrin Sa’id Jibrin alleged that the planned action by the outgoing administration was meant to leave behind financial burden for the incoming government to cripple it at its inception.
Jibrin advised the Governor-elect to appoint technocrats and serious politicians in his cabinet to enable him to succeed in fulfilling his campaign promises stressing that without good lieutenants, he could not accomplish his goals and said that his team of lawyers is ready to work with the legal team of the governor-elect.
While addressing Journalists shortly after the submission of the petition on Friday at the Tribunal, the APC State Chairman, Uba Ahmed Nana had said that Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar who was the gubernatorial candidate of the party at the last gubernatorial election is seeking justice from the Court.