Drama, confusion as INEC Abuja annuls declaration of Binani as governor-elect in Adamawa supplementary election

Drama and confusion reigned as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Headquarters in Abuja, stepped in to annul the declaration by the Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in the state, Hudu Ari of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aisha Dahiru, popularly called Binani, as the winner of the election an governor-elect, even as collation of results was still ongoing.

INEC, it would be recalled, had conducted a supplementary election in Adamawa State on Saturday, April 15, 2023, to determine the winner of the governorship poll after the initial excerise of March 18 was declared inconclusive following the cancellation of results in polling units where there was over-voting.

State Governor and incumbent, Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had a healthy margin of 31,249 votes from the March 11 poll, and saw his lead widen after recording 4,085 votes from 10 out of the 69 polling units results announced on Saturday while the APC candidate only added 3,128 votes to her tally.

The state Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed Mele, had suspended the collation of results till 11am on Sunday. However, in the most bizarre and illegal manner, the state REC, Barrister Yunusa, sneaked into the collation centre around 9am on Sunday and declared Binani the winner of the election.

Accompanied by the state Commissioner of Police and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives, Yunusa read a prepared speech announcing the APC candidate returned elected despite results from the remaining polling units yet to be officially announced.

The REC made the declaration when most party agents, election observers, and journalists were not on ground. However, footages of the moments shortly after his declaration showed Yunusa being confronted by some men believed to be party agents.

REC Yunusa was rushed out of the collation centre as party agents moved to attack him over his conduct.

The REC’s action was a direct contravention of Sections 64 and 65 of the Electoral Act 2022 and Part 3 of the INEC guidelines which vests the power to declare results solely on a Returning Officer appointed by INEC.

However, in a swift reaction, following outrage over the action of the REC, Yunusa, the INEC Abuja has annulled the declaration of Binani, even as the commission announc3d suspending further collation of election results.

The Adamawa incident is almost similar to the scenario which played out in Abia, where after the conduct of the governorship election, on Saturday, March 11, collation of results was halted thrice and had the REC and Collation Officer summoned to Abuja as thugs invaded the one of the local government area offices of INEC over dispute from the results.

A statement signed by INEC Commissioner, and Director of Information & Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye, who confirmed the suspension of further collation of results, in Adamawa said Binani’s declaration as governor-elect ‘is null, void and of no effect.’

“1. The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a purported declaration of winner in the Adamawa Governorship election by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) even when the process has clearly not been concluded.

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.

3. The REC, Returning Officer and all involved are hereby invited to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja immediately.

“Detailed statement to follow shortly,” the statement read.

Reacting, some Nigerians were appalled over the decision by the  Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) to declare Binani as governor-elect even as the collation process was still ongoing.

“I just watched a brief video of the INEC REC in Adamawa in company of the CP announcing Aisha Binani of the APC as winner of the election. He had no document with him and read no figures. He was casual and panicking. This is illegal and fraudulent. He’s not the Returning Officer.

“The INEC Guidelines and Manual for Election Officials are explicit on the procedure for announcing results of elections. This comedy that is playing out in Adamawa is a mockery of the law. The Resident Electoral Commissioner should be arrested immediately and the CP redeployed,” said lawyer, Inibehe Effiong.

The ruling PDP in the state also confirmed INEC’s decision to annul the earlier declaration, in a statement titled; ‘INEC Refutes purported Declaration of Aisha Binani of APC as Winner of Adamawa State Guber Election,’ Sunday afternoon.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refuted the purported declaration of Aisha Binani of the APC as winner of the ongoing Gubernatorial Election in Adamawa State.

“In a series of tweet from the official twitter handle of the commission, the INEC, while suspending the ongoing collation of results, declared that the announcement by Barr Hudu Yunusa as usurpation of duty since he is no longer the returning officer for the election,” the party posted.