Adamawa State witnessed a major political event on Sunday morning as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani the winner of the highly contested governorship election.
The announcement was made by the state’s resident electoral commissioner, Barrister Hudu Yunusa, following the supplementary election held on Saturday.
However, the declaration has sparked controversy, as a trending video sighted by MandyNews.com claims that REC Hudu, instead of the returning officer, walked into the hall with the Commissioner of Police and announced Binani as the winner.
This has raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process and the neutrality of the officials involved.
Sources allege that the INEC Nigeria REC for Adamawa illegally declared the results, contravening Sections 64 and 65 of the Electoral Act of 2022 and Part 3 of INEC’s rules, which grant sole authority to proclaim results to a returning officer authorized by INEC.
This has cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election results and the overall fairness of the process.
Despite the controversy surrounding the declaration, Barr Yunusa Hudu Ari announced Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as governor-elect at the State Collation Centre in Yola.
According to the REC, the APC candidate scored the most votes in the election. The announcement was made in the presence of the Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), and State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The supplementary election was held after INEC declared the March 18 governorship election in Adamawa State inconclusive.
The North-East Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barrister Hudu Ari, stated that approximately 36,935 voters were expected to participate in the supplementary elections to decide the fate of the candidates, Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The incumbent governor, Fintiri, scored 421,524 votes, while Binani polled 390,275 votes.
However, unverified reports on social media suggest that Barrister Yunusa Hudu Ari, the Adamawa INEC Commissioner, has been arrested, adding further intrigue to this unfolding political drama.
As the situation unfolds, the people of Adamawa State and the entire nation eagerly await more details on this contentious election, hoping for a just resolution and the establishment of a transparent and accountable government in the state.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
