The Bauchi State Governor-elect, Sen. Bala Muhammed, said he was optimistic that the petition of outgoing governor, Muhammed Abubakar, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging his victory at the tribunal, would fail.

Muhammed, who is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), told newsmen in Bauchi on Saturday that no fewer than 65 lawyers, five of them Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), would defend the mandate given to him by the people of the state.

He however said that the decision of the APC to challenge his victory at the tribunal was a normal course of action backed by the Electoral Act.

“We have not been served yet; once we are served and we see the details, we are going to respond.

“We are also going to have our lawyers, about five Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), 10 other senior lawyers and about 50 Bauchi indigenous lawyers of conscience.

“They will see to it that the petition at tribunal is dead on arrival because of the endorsement of people of conscience from Bauchi State,” Muhammed said.

He reiterated his pledge to conduct council polls in the state to enable the third tier of government operate independently.

“My intention is to make local government councils independent and functional,just like in the past,” he said.

Muhammed also promised that his administration would effectively engage the people of the state and make them useful, irrespective of their level of education. (NAN)