April 16, (THEWILL) – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa Ari, for making an illegal declaration of the defeated candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aisha Binani, as the winner of the state governorship election.
The Party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, also demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters direct the Returning Officer to conclude collation, announce the results from the polling units, and declare its candidate, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, as the winner.
The PDP accused the Adamawa State REC of being compromised by the APC and its candidate to manipulate the election in their favour, despite the votes by the people of Adamawa State.
“The PDP calls on the people of Adamawa State, Nigerians and the International Community to disregard the purported declaration of the defeated Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aisha Binani, as winner of the Adamawa State Governorship election.
“It is even more absurd that the Adamawa State REC did not only usurp the powers of the Returning Officer but attempted to declare a winner without figures in reckless violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, INEC Guidelines as well as the sensibility of the people of Adamawa State.
“Mallam Yunusa Ari’s action is subversive and calculated to cause crisis in Adamawa State, destabilise our democracy and peaceful co-existence as a nation,” it said.
The PDP insisted that the REC’s action was subversive and calculated to cause crisis in the state and destabilise democracy and peaceful co-existence as a nation.
It noted that the results already collated across the 69 polling units where the supplementary elections held, and which are on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, clearly showed that Governor Fintiri won the election.
The PDP demanded that INEC should announce the results as already collated from the polling units and declare Governor Fintiri as the winner without further delay.
“From the results already collated across the 69 Polling Units where the supplementary elections held and which are on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, Governor Fintiri clearly won the election.
“The PDP, therefore, demands that INEC Headquarters should immediately direct the Returning Officer to conclude collation, announce the results from the Polling Units and declare our candidate, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, as winner, having scored the majority of lawful votes cast,” the party added.
