Controversy has trailed Saturday’s supplementary governorship election in Adamawa State as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) halted the collation of results after the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, yesterday controversially declared the All Progressives Congress, (APC) candidate, Aishatu Dahiru, popularly known as Binani, winner of the polls.
Yunusa-Ari, in the hours of yesterday, sneaked into Adamawa State governorship collation centre to declare Binani as the winner of the state governorship election.
Before her declaration, Binani was trailing behind Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who had established a margin of lead of 31,249 votes.
But Fintiri despite polling 421, 524 votes to defeat Binani who polled 390, 275 votes could not be returned by the state returning officer, Prof Mohammed Mele, because the margin of lead did not exceed the number of cancelled votes in 69 polling units with a total number Permanent Voters Card collected of 37,016.
However, at the resumption of the collation of results from the supplementary polls, which was held across the state on Saturday, to conclude the Adamawa governorship election exercise, a mild drama ensued as the Adamawa REC, who had abruptly suspended the collation exercise until 11am on Sunday sneaked into the collation centre at 9am to declare Binani winner.
Fintiri was leading from the results of 10 councils so far declared in the supplementary polls.
Results from the 10 councils as collated showed Fintiri added to his lead of 31,249 with wins in Demsa, Lamurde, Jada, Ganye, Song, Maiha, Hong, and Shelleng, while Binani won in Yola North and Yola South out of 10 councils areas of results released in the supplementary polls.
According to the Electoral Act, the REC has no power to announce the winner of the election as the responsibility solely lies with the state collation officer appointed by INEC.
•INEC, REC clash over announcement of guber results, halts further collation
Reacting swiftly to the announcement, INEC suspended the collation of further results in the controversial supplementary elections in Adamawa State due to the high-handedness of the REC.
The REC and other staffers found culpable in the act were summoned to INEC headquarters in Abuja to explain their roles in the circumstances that led to the suspension of the collation of results in Adamawa State despite all efforts to conclude the poll which commenced on March 18.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in a statement, confirmed the summons.
According to the statement, “The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to the purported declaration of a winner in the Adamawa State Governorship election by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari.
“The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer and, therefore, null, void, and of no effect. Consequently, the collation of the result of the supplementary election held yesterday 15th April 2023 is suspended forthwith.
“The REC for Adamawa State and all other officials involved in the process are hereby directed to report immediately to INEC headquarters in Abuja.
“Meanwhile, the Commission is deeply disturbed by the harassment of our two National Commissioners deployed to the state to ensure a peaceful and credible supplementary election. We urge the security agencies to provide them with the necessary security and ensure that nothing untoward befalls them. The two National Commissioners, the Returning Officer, and other staff of the Commission must be allowed to perform their duties without let or hindrance.
“The Commission will not condone any act of lawlessness or brigandage targeted at our officials or the process,” he noted.
•Amid controversy, APC’s Binani, reads acceptance speech
Meanwhile, Binani, who was hoping to upstage the incumbent governor, Fintiri, yesterday went ahead to thank the people of the state and President Muhammadu Buhari for making history after he allowed her as the first woman to emerge as governor of a state.
Binani gave this address shortly after INEC had announced the suspension of the collation of results.
She said she was particularly grateful because she feels fulfilled. After all, INEC has been able to do her work even though the Commission was under pressure not to declare her the winner of the poll but said she is happy that the needful has been done.
Binani said, “Today Adamawa stands tall on the threshold of history. My dear Adamawa State citizens and residents, I am overwhelmed and humbled by your show of love and confidence in electing me to serve as your governor from May 29, 2023, for the next four years.
“For this, I say a very big thank you. Whether you voted for APC, PDP or Labour Party, NNPP, PRP, ADC, or any other party, you have exercised your democratic right by voting for your preferred candidate for which I thank you all for fulfilling the tenets of democracy.
“In any contest as we have just had, one person must emerge and with the will of God Almighty, I happen to emerge the winner. I will Inshallah serve as the governor of the people of Adamawa State irrespective of faith, ethnicity, or political affiliation.
“Our administration will be fair and just to all. I thank President Muhammadu Buhari. You have made history by electing the first female governor in our country, Nigeria. This will in no doubt broaden the political horizon by encouraging our daughters and sisters to contest for any elective position in our country.
“This victory has come at an auspicious moment when the whole world recently celebrated Mother’s Day. We just completed 40 days fast of lent to complete and are about to complete the Ramadan fast for the sake of God Almighty. A period of sober reflection.”
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•Fintiri kicks as PDP demands arrest of REC
Meanwhile, Governor Fintiri has reacted to the controversial action of the REC, in Adamawa.
Fintiri in a broadcast to the people stated that Yunusa-Ari’s conduct was unfortunate, accusing him of working for “a gang”.
He described the action of the resident electoral commissioner of the state as “illegal and provocative”.
“This morning, we all woke up to an illegal announcement by merchants of anarchy headed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner – Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari, who since the beginning of this election is bent on pushing our collective patience to its limit,” the governor said
“It is on record that we went to the polls for the first round of the election on 18th of March, 2023. Even when it was apparent that I was coasting home to victory, this same gang aided the confusion that rendered the election inconclusive.
“Saturday, 15th of April, the rerun was held peacefully across the State. The appropriate officers commenced the process of the collation.
“The first round of the collation went well, with 11 LGAs collated before the process was adjourned to continue today 16th April, at 11am.
“Just when we were waiting for the resumption of the collation, the REC this morning took up a task he is not constitutionally empowered to do by making an illegal announcement of the outcome of the election without result.”
The Adamawa governor called on residents of the state to remain calm assuring that their mandate will be well protected.
“This action is no doubt provocative, but in this situation, I appeal for calm as always. I assure you that as your leader, I will ensure NOBODY thwarts your democratic rights.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission has demonstrated its umpire status by first distancing itself from the act of the REC and assured that the right thing will be done.
“The right thing in this context is the conclusion of the collation at the designated location and the declaration of a winner by the Returning Officer in the person of Professor Mele Kyari.”
He thanked the people of the state for their resilience and resolution to not only exercise their democratic rights but to also protect them.
“We are on this until justice is done. Fellow citizens, once again, I call on everyone to remain peaceful and law-abiding trusting that the world is watching the enemies of democracy at the height of their shameless brigandage,” he urged
Also, the PDP has demanded the arrest of the REC, Yunusa-Ari.
PDP in a statement by its spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, said the declaration of Binani as the winner while the collation was ongoing, is illegal.
He stated that such a move is seen as usurping the duties and powers of the Returning Officer, Prof Mohammed Mele.
“The PDP also demands the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari, for making such illegal declaration in the criminal usurpation of the duties and powers of the Returning Officer, Prof Mohammed Mele, while collation was ongoing.
“It is even more absurd that the Adamawa State REC did not only usurp the powers of the Returning Officer but attempted to declare a winner without figures in reckless violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, INEC Guidelines as well as the sensibility of the people of Adamawa State.”
The opposition party also called on the “people of Adamawa State, Nigerians, and the International Community to disregard the purported declaration of the defeated Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aisha Binani as the winner of the Adamawa State governorship election,” the statement added.
