MA Abubakar, SAN, Bauchi APC gubernatorial candidate claims freedom of speech over recent statement 

Gubernatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general elections in Bauchi State, Barr Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, has claimed that he made the statement credited to him based on his constitutional right to freedom of speech.

He also expressed his readiness to appear before the Nigeria Police Force anytime he received an invitation to do so.

The gubernatorial candidate spoke through his legal team during a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre on Monday, in response to a petition submitted to the Inspector-General of Police by the legal team of the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Sen Shehu Buba Umar.

The legal team defended the statement made by the former Governor, insisting that it was protected by the Constitution and did not amount to defamation.

Secretary of the legal team, Barrister Mohammed Alkassim, who addressed the Journalists, said he was speaking on the mandate of his principal and the Head of the Legal Team, H.D. Mohammed, following the public reactions to a petition reportedly filed against MA Abubakar, SAN.

Mohammed Alkassim recalled that on July 24, 2026, a Legal Practitioner in Bauchi, Barrister Jibril S. Jibril publicly announced that a petition had been submitted to the IGP against the APC governorship candidate over comments allegedly made by him.

According to the Legal Team, the briefing was not intended as a response to the petition but to enlighten members of the public on the legal principles governing the matter.

Mohammed Alkassim argued that the Constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to freedom of expression, subject to the limitation that such expression must not infringe on the rights of others.

He stressed that, “Our position is that the statement made by Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, is in line with the provisions of the Constitution.”

Muhammad AlKasim, stressed  that,”MA Abubakar has just exercised his constitutional rights by demanding transparency in Shehu Buba’s funding.”

He declared that, “Under sections 39 and 45 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), every Nigerian has the right to express their opinion and thoughts, feelings without any interference,”

He also maintained that the Nigeria Police Force is constitutionally empowered to receive and investigate complaints from any individual and expressed confidence that the Police would examine the petition objectively and in accordance with the law.

While commenting on the petition, Mohammed Alkassim dismissed suggestions that the number of pages submitted had any legal significance.

According to him, “It is not the volume of a petition that matters but the substance of the allegations contained in it. The Police will determine whether the complaint discloses any offence known to law.”

He urged members of the public and supporters of the APC governorship candidate to remain calm and allow the Police to carry out its constitutional responsibilities without interference.

Mohammed Alkassim also referred to the powers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), stating that Nigerian law permits citizens to report suspected financial crimes and empowers the Commission to investigate allegations relating to unexplained wealth and other financial offences where necessary.

On the allegation of defamation, the legal team argued that merely mentioning the name “Shehu” could not automatically amount to defamation because it was a common name borne by many people.

 According to him, for a claim of defamation to succeed, the statement must clearly identify or reasonably refer to a specific individual.

 He questioned why other persons bearing the name had not claimed they were the subject of the alleged statement, arguing that the name alone was insufficient to establish a defamatory reference.

Mohammed Alkassim reiterated the legal team’s confidence in the ongoing process and said Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, was prepared to honour any invitation from the Police.

According to him, “We believe the law will take its course. We are only waiting for the invitation of the police, and we are ready to escort our principal whenever he is invited.”