There was palpable tension in Adamawa State on Sunday when Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the gubernatorial election.
The announcement did not go down well with many who were present at the declaration and posed a greater threat to the peace within Adamawa.
Several reaction have trailed the announcement, with INEC trying all its best to manage the damage done to its reputation as the electoral umpire.
With the tension still hanging thick in the air, here are 9 things we know so far.
1. Hudu Yunusa-Ari had no legal backing
First thing established in this case at this moment is that the REC, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, has no constitutional backing to have announced Binani the winner of the polls. The duty is reserved for the Returning Officer for the State, who happens to be Mr Mele Lamido.
According to INEC, the action of the REC is a usurpation of Lamido’s powers.
2. The Returning Officer was not present
As at the time when the REC announced the APC candidate as winner of the election, the Returning officer was not present, and this has led many to speculate that there could have been a rift between both officers as regards the results from the polls.
3. INEC says the announcement is of no effect
Regarding its position on the matter, the electoral umpire has declared that the announcement suggesting that Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru won the governorship election, is ‘null and void’.
4. Collation process not concluded, suspended
INEC made it clear on Sunday that the REC did not only usurp, he went on to announce a winner when the collation had not ended, there were still results to be collated.
Consequently, electoral body suspended the collation of results of the supplementary election.
5. As at Saturday Night Fintiri was leading
Before the collation exercise was suspended on Saturday night, results from 10 LGAs had been announced — and Binani was trailing Ahmadu Fintiri, the incumbent governor and PDP candidate.
6. Ten more LGAs expected
By 11am on Sunday morning, the collation of results from the remaining 10 LGAs was expected to commence, however, the REC went on to make an announcement even before any result was collated.
7. PDP demands arrest of REC
The Peoples democratic party has been reacting to the development, the party has asked that the REC be arrested and an investigation be launched as to determine who he is working with and for.
The party has also asked Nigerians to disregard the announcement.
8. Binani gave an acceptance speech
Meanwhile, Mrs Binani delivered an acceptance speech shortly after she was illegally declared the governor-elect of the state.
In a short acceptance speech, she thanked the people of the state for electing her. According to her, being elected as the first female governor in the country would encourage other women to participate actively in politics.
9. Fintiri ‘Not Afraid’
The Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri says he is confident that the governorship election in the state won’t be compromised with the technology deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said all results of the 69 polling units of the state have been uploaded on the INEC Result Viewing Portal, IReV, adding that he is certain nothin will be compromised.
