Adamawa Guber: PDP Demands Arrest of Adamawa State REC, Declaration Of Fintiri As Winner

By Akinwale Kasali & Ayodele Oni

Following the confusion which engulfed the outcome of the Governorship Election Supplementary Poll in Adamawa State, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has demanded for the arrest of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in the State, Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari.

The Supplementary Election was held on Saturday, 15th April between Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the PDP and the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC,  Senator Aishatu Dahiru  Binani.

At the end of the poll, while collation of results was still on-going, Ari, inexplicably announced the Candidate of the APC as winner and, therefore, duly elected Governor. By so doing, he usurped the job of the Returning Officer, Professor Mohammed Mele, the only person allowed, by law, to announce the results.

Mallam Ari’s conduct caused confusion and crisis which resulted in crisis. A couple of people, allegedly, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were beaten to stupor. At least one of them, purportedly, Ari, was stripped to his underpants by shocked and angry PDP loyalists.

In its reaction to Ari’s unbecoming and unprecedented behaviour, an embarrassed INEC leadership distanced itself from the declaration of Binani as Governor-elect, voided and annulled it, and summoned, with immediate effect, both the REC and the Returning Officer to its Headquarters, Abuja.

In a statement signed on its behalf by Barrister Festus Okoye, Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, INEC said:

“The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a purported declaration of winner in the Adamawa Governorship election by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) even when the process has clearly not been concluded.

The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer. It is null, void and of no effect.

“Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended. The REC, Returning Officer and all involved are hereby invited to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja immediately.

Detailed statement to follow shortly.”

But the PDP, whose Candidate, incumbent Governor Fintiri was leading until Ari’s illegal declaration of Binani as winner wants more.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the Party Party  described the incident as reprehensible, and demanded that  Ari be arrested. It, also, called for the declaration of Governor Fintiri as the duly elected Governor.

Following is the full text of the PDP statement.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calls on the people of Adamawa State, Nigerians and the International Community to disregard the purported declaration of the defeated Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aisha Binani as winner of the Adamawa State Governorship election.

“The PDP also demands for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari, for making such illegal declaration in criminal usurpation of the duties and powers of the Returning Officer, Prof Mohammed Mele, while collation was on-going.

“It is even more absurd that the Adamawa State REC did not only usurp the powers of the Returning Officer but attempted to declare a winner without figures in reckless violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, INEC Guidelines as well as the sensibility of the people of Adamawa State.

“This reprehensible criminal conduct of the Adamawa State REC confirms the earlier alarms by the PDP which demanded for his immediate removal from Adamawa State following evidence of his complicity and being compromised by the APC and its candidate to manipulate the election in their favour notwithstanding the votes by the people of Adamawa State.

“Mallam Yunusa Ari’s action is subversive and calculated to cause crisis in Adamawa State, destabilize our democracy and peaceful co-existence as a nation. We call on the Inspector General of Police to immediately arrest Mallam Yunusa Ari and make him face the full wrath of the law for his conduct.

“The PDP notes the pronouncement by INEC Headquarters that the action of Mallam Yunusa Ari is “null, void and of no effect”. The PDP therefore demands that INEC Headquarters should immediately direct the Returning Officer to conclude collation, announce the results from the Polling Units and declare our candidate, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri as winner, having scored the majority of lawful votes cast.

“From the results already collated across the 69 Polling Units where the supplementary elections held and which are on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, Governor Fintiri clearly won the election.

“Our Party therefore demands that INEC should WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY announce the results as already collated from the Polling Units and declare Governor Fintiri as winner. Anything short of this will not be accepted by our Party and the people of Adamawa State.”