A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission not to go ahead with its plan to collate, conclude and announce the results of the governorship election in Bauchi State held on March 9.

Justice Inyang Ekwo made the order based on an ex-parte application filed by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the incumbent governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar.

The restraining order is to last till the determination of the suit brought before the court by the two plaintiffs.

The election was initially declared inconclusive by INEC due to incidents in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area. INEC later announced it would go ahead with collating and completing the results sourced from backup result sheets, a move Mr Abubakar, who scored the second highest number of votes in results so far collated, rejected.

The APC and Mr Abubakar in the ex-parte motion prayed for an order of interim injunction restraining INEC from resuming, concluding or announcing the result of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State in respect of the governorship election.