The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has criticised Senator Aishatu Ahmed (Binani) for claiming that INEC personnel met covertly with Governor Ahmadu Fintiri hours before the commission certified Fintiri the winner of the Adamawa State governorship poll.
Binani, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, made the assertion while refuting earlier accusations that she paid N2 billion for her contentious election victory statement…
Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa, had unlawfully seized the job of returning officer for the election and declared Binani the victor despite the fact that collation of results had not to be completed.
The REC was suspended by INEC management for “usurpation” of the powers of the returning officer, whose only responsibility it was to proclaim the final results.
Nevertheless, after Fintiri was declared the victor of the hotly disputed election, Binani accused INEC of undermining the people’s choice.
“What transpired in Adamawa was a failed attempt to undermine the will of the people.” Two INEC national commissioners from Abuja, who were meant to be in Adamawa as supervisors, unlawfully forced the REC to step down.
“Even more curious is the nocturnal visit of some INEC national officers to Adamawa State Government House and bizarre declaration the same day after the visit that they have taken over the collation through the backdoor, with the Collation and Returning Officers selected by the Governor of Adamawa,” the Senator said in a statement on Tuesday.
In response, Festus Okoye, INEC’s Commissioner for Information and Voter Education Committee, stated that the commission normally does not join problems with “political actors,” but was compelled to answer owing to the serious claims in Binani’s remarks.
“To lay the record straight, no such visit or meeting occurred, let alone the development of any supposed list of collation and returning officials.” Such a meeting would have violated our pledge of neutrality. Furthermore, any astute observer would have seen that the Commission appointed and kept only one Returning Officer for the Governorship election, who also served as the State Collation Officer for the Presidential Election (SCOPE).
“Like other Returning Officers countrywide, he was granted a letter of appointment by the Commission, and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State was properly notified.” The list of Collation Officers was also provided to the State, with the Chairman of the Commission personally endorsing each page of the list well in advance of the arrival of the National Commissioners.
“Similarly, the same Press Statement gave the impression that the Commission’s national headquarters specifically targeted Adamawa State in its deployment of National Commissioners and other officials with the sole intention of influencing the outcome of the supplementary election held on Saturday 25th April 2023 and sidelining the REC.” Nothing could be further from the truth,” he stated.
Okoye further advised members of the public to “dismiss these insinuations as nothing more than claptrap.” We further urge those responsible for the mischief to stop immediately, since such fabrications have endangered the lives of our officials (both ad hoc and regular) engaged in lawful electoral tasks. We expect well-meaning folks to act with decorum and decency.”
