April 19, (THEWILL) – The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State, Sen. Aisha Dahiru Binani, has said an officer of the Department of State Service (DSS), who alleged that she offered N2 billion bribe to be declared governor-elect of the state last Sunday, did so under torture.
The rebuttal followed a viral video of a man said to be a DSS official confessing to the N2 billion bribe under torture.
The video had surfaced after the “illegal” declaration of Binani as the winner of the Adamawa governorship election by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari.
Barr. Yunusa-Ari had, on Sunday, declared Binani the winner of the election under controversial circumstances, when the collation of results for the guber supplementary poll was yet to be declared in 10 Local Government Areas.
Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had also alleged that Binani bribed INEC officials with N2 billion to be declared governor.
Reacting to the bribe allegation in a statement issued on Tuesday evening, Binani said the DSS officer made “very bizarre, unfounded wild allegations” against her
The statement read: “My attention has been drawn to a very bizarre and wild allegation purportedly made by an officer of the Department of State Services (DSS).
“I NEVER DID, I would never do such. This said statement was allegedly made when the officer was being tortured at gunpoint by the agents of the Adamawa State Governor and the Government House police team alongside their political thugs.
“I wish to reiterate that I am a democrat, I have always been a committed democrat and will never do anything to subvert democratic process. I am not a do-or-die politician. In the past, I have won elections into the House of Representatives and the Senate in a free and fair manner.
“What happened in Adamawa was an unsuccessful attempt to subvert the will of the people. The REC was illegally told to stand down by two INEC national commissioners from Abuja, who were supposed to be in Adamawa in a supervisory capacity. Even more curious is the nocturnal visit of some INEC national officers to Adamawa State Government House and bizarre declaration the same day after the visit that they have taken over the collation through the backdoor, with the Collation and Returning Officers selected by the Governor of Adamawa.
“The roles of these INEC officers from Abuja and the real mission of the two to the Government House should be of interest to all democrats.
“I urge all lovers of democracy to take a deeper interest in our electoral process and democracy, not only in Adamawa but in the whole country.
“Meanwhile, to all my supporters both within and outside Adamawa, I wish to use this opportunity to thank you for your unflinching support, in the midst of half-truths and opposition smear propaganda.”
