Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Adamawa State Governorship election, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has reacted to controversies surrounding the outcome of Saturday’s gubernatorial election.
OsunDaily News reports that there was uproar on and offline on Sunday after Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa Ari, declared Aishatu Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the governorship election in the state.
Before Ari’s declaration, the PDP camp alleged irregularities and questioned the neutrality of the REC after a leaked audio tape in which he was heard asking an electoral officer in Fufore to help “This woman” surfaced on the internet.
Ari further raised eyebrows when he declared Binani winner of the guber poll on Sunday morning, an hour earlier than the scheduled time.
Shortly after the outburst caused by Ari, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voided the REC’s declaration and suspended the supplementary election.
“The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer. It is null, void and of no effect.
“Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended.
“The REC, Returning Officer and all involved are hereby invited to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja immediately,” INEC said in a statement issued by its National Commissioner, Information & Voter Education, Festus Okoye.
Reacting to the whole drama, Governor Fintiri, who was said to be leading the poll with higher votes before Binani’s purported victory, begged citizens for calm.
Since the beginning of the election, Ari was bent on pushing the people’s patience to the limit, Governor Fintiri said.
The governor, who spoke at a press conference at the Dougerei Government House, 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 to victory, this same gang aided the confusion that rendered the election inconclusive.
“As civilized citizens who were committed to democratic ethos, we accepted the situation in good faith and prepared for the rerun. Yesterday, Saturday, 15th – 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 11.00 a.m.
“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 results.”
He described Ari’s action as provocative, appealing for calm as always.
He assured the citizens and his supporters that as their leader, he will ensure nobody thwarted their democratic rights.
Governor Fintiri added: “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.
“I must thank you for your resilience and resolve to not only exercise your democratic rights but to also protect it. 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.
“Nobody should take the law into their hands. Let’s peacefully await the next directive from INEC believing that they do know that the integrity of the Commission is on test.”
