…as INEC suspends election results collation in Adamawa
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) says the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa Ari, should be arrested for exceeding her official schedule and illegally announcing a purported election result.
Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesman, in a statement on Sunday, described the declaration of Aisha Binani as winner of the Adamawa State Governorship election while the collation was ongoing as illegal.
Ologunagba further stated that the action was a clear usurpation of the duties and powers of the Returning Officer, Prof Mohammed Mele.
“The PDP also demands for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari, for making such illegal declaration in criminal usurpation of the duties and powers of the Returning Officer, Prof Mohammed Mele, while collation was ongoing,” Ologunagba said.
“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.”
The PDP further urged 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.”
The PDP’s reaction comes few hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suspended the collation of the exercise in the state.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye slammed the action of the Adamawa REC, saying it usurps the power of the Returning Officer.
