Some politicians and other stakeholders in Bauchi are having ‘sleepless nights’, with some holding nightly prayer sessions in mosques, as they await Monday’s Supreme Court verdict on the governorship election held in the state on 9 March.
In the past one week, both supporters and members of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), are hoping for victory.
The level of anxiety and optimism by both sides are being reflected daily in political programmes aired by radio stations across the state and in prayer sessions in the mosques.
Alhaji Uba Nana, Chairman of the APC in the state, told NAN that his party had embarked on a prayer session ahead of the Supreme Court verdict.
Nana, who reserved all comments till after the judgement, said the party was hoping for a successful outcome at the apex court.
“We are reserving our comments until after the verdict on Monday; we have nothing much to say but I can tell you that we are very prayerful now.
“We are in prayers and hoping for a successful outcome at the Supreme Court on Monday,” Nana said.
Alhaji Yayanuwa Zainabari, Publicity Secretary of PDP in the state, also told NAN that his party has absolute trust in the Supreme Court and believed that justice would not only be done, but would be seen to have been done.
“As it is now, the judiciary is the only hope of upholding the mandate given to Gov. Bala Mohammad by the people of Bauchi State.
“We have trust that the court would do justice in delivering its judgement; we have no fear at all and just as we won the election without rigging, by God’s grace, we will have cause to celebrate,” he said.
A member of one of the parties who pleaded for anonymous, told NAN that in an event of their losing at the apex court, he and others had decided to leave Bauchi.
“The tension is so palpable and expectations for success, very high; we cannot withstand losing out because the embarrassment will be enormous; we will rather leave in an event of failure at the Supreme Court,” he vowed.
NAN checks revealed that some politicians in the state had resorted to spending their nights in the mosque, praying to God to grant their parties, victory at the apex court.
A prominent politician in Bauchi, who confirmed this development to NAN on condition of anonymity, said because of the dicey situation at hand, himself and others were not willing to take chances.
“Some of us resolved to leave the comfort of our bedrooms and turn to God for salvation.
“We stay overnight in the mosque praying because, as Muslims, we know that the Almighty often grants requests pleaded for during late night,” he revealed.
It would be recalled the incumbent governor, Bala Mohammed of PDP, had himself told newsmen shortly after his victory at the Appeal Court in Jos, that he could not sleep a day to the Jos verdict.
The governor is now in United Kingdom on medical checkups, according to an earlier statement by his Media Aide, Muktar Gidado.
Also speaking to NAN, DSP Kamal Abubakar, the state’s Police Public Relations Officers, assured that the command was has taken adequate measures to ensure that there was no break-down of law and order after the verdict.
He said security men in all strategic locations within the state had been placed on the alert, adding that the command had also invited stakeholders of both parties for a dialogue.
He said that members of the two parties had been barred from any form of celebration after the judgement to prevent breakdown of law and order.
Kamal called on the people of the state to accept whatever the judgement would be as the will of God.
