The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the suspension collation of the governorship election results in Adamawa State, northeast Nigeria, over irregularities.
Development Diaries reports that the commission put the collation on hold after the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Yunusa Hudu Ari, declared Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, popularly known as Binani, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the poll following the supplementary election held on 15 April.
Before the supplementary election, Binani was trailing Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Fintiri had established a margin of lead of 31,249 votes, according to official results announced by INEC.
However, at the resumption of the collation of results from the supplementary election to conclude the Adamawa governorship election, the Adamawa REC sneaked into the collation centre and declared Binani the winner.
It is understood that results from polling units were still being collated before he made the announcement.
Meanwhile, INEC has asked Nigerians to disregard the action of the Adamawa REC, who it accused of usurping the powers of the Returning Officer, Professor Mohammed Mele.
INEC on its part swiftly reacted to the drama by describing the action of the REC as a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer, saying the result declaration is null, void and of no effect.
2. 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.— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) April 16, 2023
The REC’s action clearly violates section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022, as the Returning Officer is the electoral officer with the power to declare the result or winner of an election.
There is no part of the Act that vests power on the REC to announce the result of an election.
Development Diaries calls on INEC to suspend the Adamawa State REC and ensure that the integrity of the electoral process is protected.
Photo source: The Guardian
