Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has emerged as the winner of the supplementary election in Adamawa State, exactly one month after the March 18 governorship elections. The election was described by some as drama-filled.
In a recent rerun held on Saturday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Fintiri, emerged victorious with a total of 9,337 votes. The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Aishatu ‘Binani’ Dahiru, trailed behind with 6,513 votes.
Fintiri emerged victorious with a total of 430,861 votes, while Binani trailed behind with 398,788 votes.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) made an announcement on Tuesday at 5:49 pm, following a series of political intrigues.
Read Also Breaking: IGP replaces Adamawa CP over gov poll
Following the inconclusive declaration of last month’s governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a supplementary election was slated for the past Saturday.
On Sunday, during the collation process, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the state, Hudu Yunusa Ari, declared Binani as the winner before the completion of the process, which goes against the regulations of the Electoral Act.
According to Section 25 of the Electoral Act, 2022, the responsibility of announcing the election results and declaring the winner of a gubernatorial election at the state collation centre is solely vested in the returning officer.
As per the latest updates, the results of the supplementary poll have been announced for only half of the total 20 local government areas (LGAs). The current standings show Fintiri in the lead, having emerged victorious in seven LGAs, while Binani has won in three.
Following Ari’s declaration, the APC candidate promptly delivered an acceptance speech.
Following the incident, members of the opposition expressed their frustration by physically attacking a national commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), whom they mistakenly identified as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).
A senior citizen and former Vice Chancellor of Usman Dan Fodio University was reportedly stripped naked and physically assaulted in a disturbing incident. In a strongly worded statement, Festus Okoye, the Chairman of Information and Voter Education and National Commissioner of INEC, stated that the commission will not permit such actions to persist.
The individual in question has implored the security agencies to reveal the identities of those responsible for the aforementioned action. The call for the arrest, investigation, and prosecution of the individuals in question has been made. According to sources, it has been suggested that treating a national commissioner as a common criminal is not appropriate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has taken action against one of its Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC).
The Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) has come under fire from the electoral body for allegedly overstepping his bounds and taking on the role of the Returning Officer.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a statement regarding the Adamawa Governorship election. According to the statement, the commission has been made aware of a declaration of a winner by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) despite the fact that the election process has not yet been completed.
The Resident Electoral Commission’s action has been described as a usurpation of the Returning Officer’s power.
The statement is deemed null, void, and ineffective. The collation of results for the supplementary election has been suspended, according to official sources.
Following the recent events, the Commission has summoned the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Returning Officer, and all parties involved to its headquarters in Abuja.
In a stunning conclusion to the race, the competitors crossed the finish line in a photo finish. The judges carefully examined the footage to determine the winner, with only a fraction of a second separating the top runners. The tension was palpable as the crowd eagerly awaited the final verdict. Ultimately, the photo finish captured the thrilling moment and will go down in history as a testament to the athletes’ skill and determination.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Adamawa governorship election held last month as inconclusive. According to the INEC state collation officer, Prof Muhammadu Mele, the decision was made due to the margin of votes. The announcement was made on March 20.
As per the official figures released, Binani secured a total of 390,275 votes, whereas Fintiri emerged victorious with 421,524 votes.
According to Mele, a total of 69 polling units were affected due to the non-conduct of elections in 47 wards. According to the data, there is a margin of 31,249. According to official sources, a total of 37,016 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected in areas where elections did not take place.
According to his statement, the election will be declared inconclusive if the margin between the two candidates is less than the total number of collected PVCs in areas where elections were not held, as stated in the electoral laws.
Repercussions
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will be sending a letter to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, requesting an investigation and prosecution of Hudu Ari, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa state. This decision was made known by INEC on Tuesday.
The national commissioners of the electoral body convened earlier today at the commission’s national headquarters in Abuja to make a decision regarding the state’s election. The electoral umpire has since reached a verdict.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a statement via Twitter regarding the Adamawa Governorship election. According to the tweets, the Commission held a meeting on April 18, 2023, to discuss matters arising from the election. As a result of the meeting, INEC has decided to take certain actions, which were not specified in the tweets.
The call has been made to the Inspector-General of Police to conduct an urgent investigation and potentially prosecute the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been urged to bring to the appointing authority’s notice the inappropriate conduct of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for necessary action.
According to the Returning Officer, the collation process will resume at a time that is yet to be determined.
In a recent development, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has issued a directive for the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, who was on election duty in Adamawa, to withdraw from the state immediately.
In a recent development, it has been reported that the Commissioner of Police in charge of Gombe State, CP Etim Equa, has been instructed by an authoritative figure to proceed to Adamawa State for election security during the remainder of the supplementary poll.
According to Force PRO Adejobi, during a press briefing in Abuja, the Inspector General of Police has expressed his unwavering dedication towards ensuring a transparent and equitable procedure.
The Inspector General of Police has issued a directive for the Commissioner of Police in charge of election security in Adamawa State, CP Barde, to withdraw from the state. In his place, the Commissioner of Police for Gombe State, CP Etim Equa, has been instructed to immediately proceed to Adamawa to oversee the election and ensure its success by providing necessary information and supervision.
