The controversy, suspense and intrigues that characterised the Adamawa governorship election finally came to a close, Tuesday, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaring the incumbent, Ahmadu Fintiri of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) as the governor-elect.
Declaring the results in Yola, the Returning Officer, Professor Mohammed Mele, who is the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) University of Maiduguri, said this followed the conclusion and collation of the results of the 69 polling units across the 20 local government areas of the state where supplementary election took place Saturday.
INEC had declared the state governorship election inconclusive, following which it ordered a supplementary poll.
But midway into the collation of results of Saturday’s supplementary poll, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, announced the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Aisha Dahiru Ahmed (Binani) as the winner.
Expectedly, the development generated chains of reactions, as INEC annulled Yunusa-Ari’s action and also placed him on an indefinite suspension.
Fintiri’s victory dashed the hope, bid and aspiration of the womenfolk to have the first female governor in the lawmaker, dashed.
Like Mama Taraba’s loss
Binani’s effort and journey at achieving the feat as the first female governor, took after that of the late lawmaker and minister, Senator Aisha Alhasan, also known as Mama Taraba, who lost her governorship bid in 2015 also on the APC platform in Taraba, another North-east state like Adamawa.
Like in Adamawa, the Taraba poll also ended in a stalemate with INEC announcing a new date for supplementary poll, even as the late minister cried foul just like Binani.
Also like in Taraba, the election was declared inconclusive because the number of cancelled votes was greater than the margin between the eventual winner and his close opponent.
Unlike Binani however, Mama Taraba was not declared winner to have warranted her reading an acceptance speech.
In Taraba, the incumbent governor and PDP candidate, Darius Ishiaku, was eventually declared winner at the end of the supplementary poll.
Fintiri victorious
Announcing the results, the returning officer said Fintiri of the PDP had 430,861 votes to emerge winner of the election, and was followed by Binani, the APC gubernatorial candidate, who polled 398,788 votes.
Others are Dr. Umar Ardo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who came third in the election and followed by Mohammed MC Tahir of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) who came fourth in the election.
Shedding more light on the results, Professor Mele said the state had a total registered voters of 2.196,566.
The total votes cast stood at 869,106 out of which 853,819 were valid, with 15,287 as rejected votes.
A quick look at the result showed the governor won in 13 local government areas of Guyuk, Shelleng, Jada, Gerei, Demsa, Numan, Lamurde, Toungo, Gombi, Song, Hong, Michika and Madagali, while Binani won in Mubi North, Mubi South, Yola North, Yola South, Mayo Belwa, Ganye and Shelleng local government areas.
Fintiri, PDP react
In his reaction, Governor Fintiri apologised to his teeming supporters for what he called “psychological trauma” visited on them by the events of the last few weeks.
In his acceptance speech Tuesday, Fintiri said: “Fellow citizens, I must as a politician apologise on behalf of the political class for putting you through this psychological trauma … especially over the last five days.”
Also in its reaction, the PDP described the governor’s victory as a momentous triumph for democracy and the will of the people of the state over tyranny and desperate manipulative forces seeking to illegally take over control of the state.
In a statement Tuesday in Abuja, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba said the victory dance by people of the state was really worth it.
“Governor Fintiri’s overwhelming victory is a validation that the Will of the people cannot be subdued no matter the plot by a tyrannical, domineering and power-grabbing few who, with over-bloated ambition, desperately sought to subvert our democracy, scuttle the electoral process, compromise the judiciary, subjugate the people and impose an unconstitutional regime in the polity.
“The PDP salutes the courage, resilience and determination of the people of Adamawa State in resisting the defeated APC and compromised INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari in their bid to destabilize the State.
“Our Party also lauds the Adamawa State Returning Officer, Mohammed Mele for his courage in standing on the side of justice, due process and democracy in the discharge of his duty.
“The PDP salutes the roles played by the International and domestic election Observers, the Media, Organized Civil Society and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians in ensuring that the mandate of the people of Adamawa State freely given to the PDP and our Candidate, Governor Fintiri, was not hijacked by APC supplanters.
“The PDP congratulates Governor Fintiri and the people of Adamawa State and urges the Governor to continue in his landmark transformational delivery of democracy dividends to the people in line with the manifesto, programmes and policies of the PDP,” the statement said.
I never bribed anybody – Binani
Also, in a reaction, Senator Binani said there was never a time she bribed any INEC official with N2billion to announce election results.
She made the clarification in statement Tuesday in Abuja, a copy of which was made available to one of our correspondents.
She said: “My attention has been drawn to a very bizarre, unfounded wild allegations purportedly made by an officer of the Department of State Services to the effect that, I Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani) gave out the Sum of N2billion to procure a favourable declaration as Governor-Elect to some unnamed INEC staff. I NEVER DID, I would never do such.
“This said statement was allegedly made when the officer was being tortured at gunpoint by the agents of the Adamawa State Governor and the Government House police team alongside their political thugs.
I wish to reiterate that I am a democrat; I have always been a committed democrat and will never do anything to subvert democratic process. I am not do-or-die politician. In the past I have won elections into the House of Representatives and the Senate in a free and fair manner.
“What happened in Adamawa was an unsuccessful attempt to subvert the will of the people. The REC was illegally told to stand down by two INEC national commissioners from Abuja who were supposed to be in Adamawa in a supervisory capacity. Even more curious is the nocturnal visit of some INEC national officers to Adamawa State Government house and bizarre declaration 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 roles of these INEC officers from Abuja and the real mission of the two to the Government House should be of interest to all democrats. I urge all lovers of democracy to take a deeper interest in our electoral process and democracy not only in Adamawa but in the whole country.
“Meanwhile to all my supporters both within and outside Adamawa, I wish to use this opportunity to thank you for your unflinching support, in the midst of half-truths and opposition smear propaganda. Thank you.”
…Loses court bid
Earlier on Tuesday, the hope of the APC candidate to get a judicial intervention in the election saga in Adamawa state failed on account of jurisdiction.
Specifically, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Tuesday, declined to hear an ex-parte application brought by Binani, asking the court for an order to stop further action on the ongoing governorship election in the state.
Rather, the court, in a ruling delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo, ordered the counsel that appeared for the applicant, Mr. Mohammed Sheriff, to address whether or not it has the requisite jurisdiction to entertain the matter, in three days.
Justice Ekwo thereafter adjourned the suit till April 26 for counsel to the applicant to address the court on the issue of jurisdiction.
Although a lawyer, Afeez Matanmi, announced his appearance for the incumbent governor of the state and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, he was however not allowed to address the court since the APC candidate brought the action through an ex-parte application, and that he (counsel) was yet to be served the process.
Binani’s prayers
The APC candidate, had, via the application-FHC /ABJ/ CS/ 510/ 2023- asked for leave of the court to allow her seek, “an order of prohibition and certiorari removing to this court for the purpose of being set aside the administrative decision of the 1st Respondent made on 16th April 2023 in respect of the declaration of the winner from the gubernatorial election of Adamawa State held on the 18th of March, 2023 and the supplementary election held on 15th April 2023.”
She claimed INEC lacked the powers to cancel or declare a declaration hitherto made as a nullity, adding : “The only court with the power on a declaration made from the conduct of an election is only the Election Petition Tribunal set up by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).”
She also asked for a court order “preventing the 1st Respondent, its agent, assign or any person acting on its behalf from taking any further steps towards the declaration of the winner from the gubernatorial election of Adamawa State held on the 18th of March and the supplementary election held on 15th April, 2023, pending the determination of the application for judicial review.”
The APC was listed as the 2nd applicant in the suit; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP and its candidate/incumbent governor of the state were cited as 1st to 3rd respondents.
In the application, Binani insisted she was declared winner of the governorship election after the collation process was completed.
She said: “Pursuant to the declaration of Senator Aisha Dahiru Ahmed as the winner of the gubernatorial election, any dissatisfied candidate is to resort to the tribunal for redress if any.
“The 2nd Respondent, PDP, and the 3rd Respondent Ahmadu Fintiri, who lost in the election, resorted to fighting and causing a public disturbance which led to the beating and manhandling of one of the 1st Respondent staff.
“The crisis caused by the 2nd and 3rd Respondents led the 1st Respondent to announce that it had cancelled the initial declaration made by it on 16tu April 2023.”
INEC drags REC to IGP
In a related development, INEC Tuesday asked Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baba Alkali to investigate and possibly prosecute REC Yunusa-Ari for his role in the supplementary polls in the state.
The commission also resolved to ask Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha to brief President Muhammadu Buhari, whose office is the appointing authority, on the REC’s action.
These were some of the highpoints of the decision arrived at after an emergency meeting of the commission held Tuesday in Abuja.
“At its meeting today, 18th April 2023, the Commission discussed matters arising from the Adamawa Governorship election and decided to write to the Inspector-General of Police for the immediate investigation and possible prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari.
“Request the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to draw the attention of the appointing authority to the unwholesome behaviour of the REC for further action.
“The collation process shall resume at a time to be determined by the Returning Officer. Detailed official statement will follow shortly,” INEC wrote on its twitter handle.
