The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the collation of results in Adamawa State Governorship supplementary election following interference with the process by the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC Hudu Yunusa-Ari. The action of the REC to announce Aishatu Ahmed Binani of APC winner of Governorship election is “usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer”, according to INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye. The purported announcement of a winner in the election is declared “null, void and of no effect”.
The collation of results from the Adamawa State Governorship supplementary election had “clearly not been concluded” when the REC purportedly declared one of the candidate’s winners, confirms INEC. The Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari has been invited to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja immediately.
Yunusa-Ari, who had been reportedly asked to step aside as Resident Electoral Commissioner due to controversies that trailed his conduct in the March 18 election, suddenly turned up at the collation centre on Sunday morning at about 9 am to announce APC’s Aishatu Ahmed Binani as winner. There was confusion after the Resident Electoral Commissioner assumed the role of the Returning Officer to announce the winner of the election.
The INEC Returning Officer for the election is Professor Mohammed Mele who was in charge of the process of collation at the conclusion of the supplementary election on Saturday, along with two supervising INEC National Commissioners. Only results from supplementary elections in 10 local government areas were announced before the exercise was adjourned at about 1 am on Sunday by the Returning Officer to resume again by 11 am.
However, when journalists arrived at the state collation centre, they were informed that the REC had come at about 9 am to announce a winner, amid protests by party agents who challenged his powers to usurp the position of the Returning Officer. As of the time of filing this report, the Returning Officer Professor Mohammed Mele and the two supervising National Commissioners are yet to arrive at the Collation Centre and could not be reached.
INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, explained that the suspension was necessary because INEC is committed to a transparent and credible process. “The Commission is determined to ensure that the votes of the people of Adamawa State count and that only the choice of the electorate prevails”, he said.
Political stakeholders in the state have expressed concern over the situation. The PDP governorship candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri, has rejected the purported winner of the election, Aishatu Ahmed Binani of the APC, and called on INEC to “rise to the occasion and salvage the electoral process in Adamawa State”. He alleged that the REC had colluded with the APC to subvert the will of the people.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up as tension is already high in the area. The police and other security agencies have been urged to maintain law and order and protect lives and property. INEC has assured the public that it will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary.