The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for Adamawa State, Mr Hudu Yunusa Ari has opened up on why he abruptly declared Sen. Aishatu Dahiru Binani winner of the State Governorship Election on Sunday.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports there was confusion after Mr Ari declared Binani, candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), as governor-elect after the supplementary election held on Saturday in State.
Ari announced Binani as the winner while the collation of results was still ongoing at the INEC collation centre in Yola. According to the INEC REC, Binani had scored the highest number of votes hence his decision to declare her as the winner. However, he did not provide the data or the results with which she won the election.
“Based on the scores of the parties, the APC scored the highest votes. Going by that, Aishatu Binani is, hereby, declared as the elected Governor of Adamawa State,” he said.
However, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong, the agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the collation center described the declaration as baseless and of no binding effect, pointing out that only a Returning Officer and not the REC has the powers under the Electoral Act to declare results.
“We call on INEC to hasten sanctioning the Resident Electoral Commissioner for causing deliberate infraction” Hong said.
Gov. Fintiri appeals for calm as INEC suspends collation of results
Meanwhile, incumbent Governor of the State, Gov Ahmadu Fintiri has called on residents of the state to remain calm and peaceful as collation of results of the just-concluded governorship supplementary election has been suspended by INEC.
The Governor, who addressed a news conference in Yola on Sunday commended the national headquarters of INEC for its prompt action, halting the declaration of APC governorship candidate, Aishatu Binani, as governor-elect.
He expressed optimism that eventually the electoral umpire would collate and announced the winner of the election, saying only 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) were collated out of 20.
He thanked the security agencies and people of the state for demonstrating courage and maturity throughout the tension period, stressing that no body would subvert your democratic rights.
INEC seeks adequate security for officers
Meanwhile, INEC has called on security agencies to provide adequate security for its two national commissioners and officers deployed to Adamawa for the supplementary governorship election.
The commission made the call in a statement issued by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in Abuja on Sunday.
The commission had earlier suspended result collation in the state, declaring the purported declared result by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) as null and void.
Okoye, who said that the commission was disturbed by the harassment of its officers in the state, warned that nothing should happen to its officers in the state.
“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 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.”
Okoye said that INEC would not condone any act of lawlessness or brigandage targeted at its officials or the process of the election in the state.
Okoye had earlier refuted the purported declaration of the result by its REC in the Adamawa State Governorship election, Yunusa-Ari
Okoye said that 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 April 15 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.”
Ari had declared Binani as winner midway into the collation. Reports indicate that results from 10 out of the 20 local government areas had been declared while the exercise was adjourned till 11 am.
However, Ari announced the final result an hour before the scheduled time.
PDP demands arrest of INEC REC
Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the arrest of the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa State.
PDP in a statement on Sunday by its spokesman, Debo Ologunagba said the declaration of Binani as winner of the Adamawa State Governorship election while the collation was ongoing is illegal.
Ologunagba stated that such move is seen as usurping the duties and powers of the Returning Officer.
“The PDP also demands for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari, for making such illegal declaration in 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 statement read.