Adamawa Guber: INEC Voids REC’s Declaration Of Binani As Winner

• The March 18 governorship election in Adamawa was declared inconclusive.

• A supplementary election was held on Saturday to conclude the process.

• Adamawa residents and Nigerians across the country were thrown into shock on Sunday as the state’s REC made an unusual and illegal move.

Eko Hot Blog reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disowned its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari.

Recall that Yunusa-Ari sparked controversy on Sunday morning after he usurped Mele Lamido, the returning officer for the Adamawa governorship election, to declare Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election.

EDITOR’S PICKS  

• Tambuwal Wins Sokoto South Senatorial Poll

• ‘Lack Of Supervision:’ Lagos CP Removes DPO After Officers Extorted Phone Dealer

• Nigeria’s Inflation Rate Rises To 22.04% As Food Prices Soar

The resident electoral commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa, Yunusa Ari, has sparked controversy and confusion in the state’s governorship election. On Sunday morning, he declared Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress pic.twitter.com/xkzVB7sPpj

— EkoHotBlog (@ekohotblog) April 16, 2023

The move caused confusion as Ahmadu Fintiri, the incumbent governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was leading Binani by a significant margin as of Saturday night when INEC suspended collation of results.

Adamawa governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of PDP and APC governorship candidate, Aisha Binani

In a statement by Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Commissioner, Information & Voter Education, on Sunday, the commission said the declaration was null and void.

“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 statement reads.

“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.”

Okoye added that a detailed statement will follow shortly.

FURTHER READING  

• Gunfire, Blasts Rock Sudan’s Capital As Paramilitary Group Claims Control Of Presidential Palace

• LASEMA Finds Body Under Rubble Of Banana Island Building Collapse

• VIDEO: Watch Scary Moment 7-Storey Building Came Crashing Down In Lagos

According to Sections 64 & 65 of the Electoral Act 2022 & Part 3 of INEC guidelines, the power to declare results rests solely on a returning officer appointed by INEC.

Click to watch our video of the week:

---

Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:

Kindly contact us at [email protected]. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.

Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.

Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611