Controversy as REC declares Binani winner of Adamawa guber poll

Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the resident electoral commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa, has stoked controversy in the state’s governorship election.

Around 9am on Sunday morning, the INEC REC announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election.

His announcement elicited protests from members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) present at the state collation centre in Yola.

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.

The collation of results from the remaining 10 LGAs was expected to commence by 11am on Sunday.

Mele Lamido, the returning officer for the Adamawa governorship election, was not present when Yunusa-Ari announced Binani as the winner of the election.

Lamido is empowered by law to declare the winner of the election.

Yiaga Africa, a civil society organisation, has described the declaration as illegal, saying it is against the guidelines of the Electoral Act.

“We’ve received reports of an illegal declaration of results by the @inecnigeria REC for #Adamawa in violation of S 64 & 65 Electoral Act 2022 & Part 3, INEC guidelines which vests the power to declare results solely on a Returning officer appointed by INEC,” Yiaga Africa said.

“We call on @inecnigeria to nullify the illegal declaration, suspend the REC for Adamawa state and take urgent actions to protect the integrity of the process.”