EXTRA: ‘Breakfast was served very hot’ — Fintiri jokes after receiving certificate of return

Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of Adamawa, says a “hot breakfast” has been served to his opposition in the just concluded governorship election in the state.

“Breakfast”, a slang in Nigerian pop culture, loosely means “heartbreak”.

On Tuesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Fintiri re-elected for a second term as Adamawa governor. 

Fintiri, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polled 430,861 votes to defeat Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 398,788 votes.

Commenting on the election in a tweet on Wednesday, the Adamawa governor said the events of the past few weeks “will make a good movie script”.

He added that the “people’s mandate has been reclaimed” while promising the state’s residents a “greater Adamawa”.

“I think the recent happenings in Adamawa will make a good movie script! Las Las ‘breakfast’ was served very hot and the people’s mandate reclaimed. A Greater Adamawa is Possible!” the tweet reads.

I think the recent happenings in Adamawa will make a good movie script! Las Las 'breakfast' was served very hot and the people's mandate reclaimed.

A Greater Adamawa is Possible! pic.twitter.com/YGVyOtBDVp

— Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (@GovernorAUF) April 19, 2023

THE CONTROVERSIAL SERIES OF EVENTS

INEC had declared the March 18 governorship election in the state inconclusive and fixed the supplementary election for April 15.

Amid the supplementary election, controversy ensued at the collation centre when Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) in the state, declared Binani as the winner of the election.

The REC made the declaration when results from all the LGAs were yet to be collated.

Mele Lamido, the returning officer for the election, was not present when Yunusa-Ari made the announcement.

According to the Electoral Act 2020, only Lamido is empowered to declare a winner in the election.

The action of the REC sparked outrage as INEC suspended the collation exercise and asked Yunusa-Ari to stay away from office.

The electoral umpire resumed collation on Tuesday and presented Fintiri with the certificate of return on Wednesday.

INEC has asked Usman Baba, the inspector-general of police (IGP), to probe the activities of the Adamawa REC.