INEC Ends Suspense, Declares Fintiri Winner of Adamawa Governorship Contest

INEC Ends Suspense, Declares Fintiri Winner of Adamawa Governorship Contest

It was a restoration of hope in democracy, after twists and turns resulting in high-octane drama; when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) finally declared Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner of the Adamawa governorship election, relieving the state of tension that engulfed it in the last

It was a restoration of hope in democracy, after twists and turns resulting in high-octane drama; when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) finally declared Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner of the Adamawa governorship election, relieving the state of tension that engulfed it in the last twenty-four hours.

The Returning Officer, Professor Mohammed Mele whose duty was earlier usurped, took his rightful place and announced the results, declaring Fintiri as the winner of the state governorship election. He polled 430,861 votes ahead of his closest rival Aisha Dashiru popularly known as Binani who polled 398,788 votes.

The election was first conducted on March 18th, 2023 but was declared inconclusive by the electoral commission due to reports of over-voting and electoral violence in some parts of the state. INEC later announced April 15th, 2023 as the day for the supplementary election in 69 polling units across the state.

In the supplementary election, Fintiri who was earlier in the lead, clinched 9,337 votes, while Binani polled 6,513 to come second on Saturday. But the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari had a different agenda and declared the All Progressive Congress candidate, Aisha Dahiru, as the winner while collation of results was still in progress.

His action was in breach of the law guiding the electoral process and he was called to order immediately with INEC National Commissioner on Information declaring his actions as null and void and of no effect on behalf of the electoral umpire.

INEC further noted that the decision to declare a winner of election, according to the electoral law is within the right of the returning officer, Professor Mohammed Mele. As a result, the collation was suspended, while the commission also took a punitive measure to suspend the erring resident commissioner.

Upon the resumption of collation today, the returning officer later concluded the counting process and declared Mr Fintiri as the winner of the poll “That Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri of PDP, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and return elected”, Professor Mele declared.

The results are highlighted below:
Supplementary election
Total registered voters 42,929
Accredited voters 16,423
AA 2
AAC 28
ADP 40
APC 6,513
APGA 16
APM 03
APP 02
LP 03
NNPP 05
NRM 35
PDP 9,337
PRP 03
SDP 05
YPP 06
ZLP 01
Total 15,999
Rejected votes 399
Total votes cast 16,398
Total Election Results
Total registered voters 21965666
Accredited voters 876,387

Total Results
AA 643
ADC 324
ADP 2,174
APC 398,788
APGA 892
APM 606
APP 286
LP 2,732
NNPP 4,852
NRM 1,272
PDP 430,861
PRP 1,188
SDP 6,870
YPP 1,431
ZLP 200
Total valid votes 853,819
Rejected votes 15,287
Total votes cast 869,106


Binani’s Legal Attempt to Legitimise Illegality Rebuffed

Upon her controversial declaration as the winner of the Adamawa governorship election, the All Progressives Congress candidate, Aisha Dahiru, also known as Binani, quickly dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to a Federal High Court in Abuja, claiming that the umpire lacks the power to nullify her victory.

Her ex parte motion tagged with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/510/2023 has Mrs Dahiru and the All Progressives Congress as the complainants, while the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Peoples Democratic Party, and its governorship candidate Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri are respondents.

She submitted that the Adamawa governorship supplementary election was conducted on Saturday, April 15, 2023, to conclude the March 18th elections, which were declared inconclusive by the electoral commission due to overvoting and violence. The electoral commission also announced the suspension of the REC as well as the suspension of the collation exercise in the state, with the indication that the declaration was the role of a returning officer.

Consequently, the APC candidate, being represented by her lawyer Hussaini Zakariyau, applied for “leave of court allowing the applicants to apply for an order of prohibition and certiorari removing to this Court for the purpose of being set aside the administrative decision of the 1 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 also sought “an order preventing the 1″ 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, 2023 and the supplementary election held on 15th April 2023, pending the determination of the application for judicial review”.

Stating the grounds for her prayers to the court, Mrs. Binani stated that INEC had declared her the winner of the election following the completion of the collation of the results, thereby making her the legitimate governor-elect in the state.

She noted that the electoral commission does not have the power to cancel or declare a declaration which has been made as null and void, adding that “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 Respondent INDEPENDENT SIGNAL FIFERORAL COMMISSION after the declaration of SENATOR AISHA DAHIRUAHMED as the winner usurped the Powers of the Election Pentiva Tribunal and declare the declaration null and void.

“The 1 Respondent INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION does not have the requisite powers to declare an election in which the winner has been declared null and void”

Mrs. Binani also accused the incumbent, who is her closest rival, Mr. Finitiri, of stirring violence in the state following her declaration as the winner, which led to the violent attack on one of the staff members of the electoral commission.

However, Justice Inyango Ekwo of the Federal High Court has temporarily declined the application filed by Binani based on issues of jurisdiction. The judge also questioned whether the court has the jurisdiction to hear matters that occurred in Adamawa state, ordering the complainant’s lawyer to file a written address in respect of the motion.

Justice Ekwo, therefore, adjourned the case to April 26th for the hearing of the ex-parte motion and the applicant’s address on jurisdiction.

Worried by the action of its REC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, suspended him from office and announced its resolve to investigate and prosecute him for usurping the role of the state returning officer to declare the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Aisha Binani Dahiru, as the winner of the supplementary election.

INEC Moves to Prosecute Adamawa REC

The Chief Press secretary to the INEC chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi announced the development after the commission’s emergency meeting on Tuesday, stating that the commission would write to the Inspector General of Police and the Secretary to Government of the Federation about the REC’s unwholesome behaviour.

He also added that the collation exercise for the supplementary election will resume in the state as determined by the returning state.

The statement fully reads: “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”, he stated

IG of Police Replaces Adamawa Police Commissioner

As a fall-out from developments since the conduct of the supplementary election, the Police high command has wielded the big stick by removing the state commissioner of Police Mr. Mohammed Barde . The Gombe state commissioner of Police, Mr.Etim Equa has been asked to proceed to Adamawa to replace the withdrawn commissioner.

Posts Carousel

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

Latest Posts

Top Authors

Most Commented

Featured Videos