INEC Administrative Secretary in Adamawa State, Adamu Gujungu, who has been mandated to take the place of the erring Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa Ari was seen at the collation centre this afternoon. Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, is expected at the collation centre later too, Channel TV reports.

INEC had on Sunday suspended collation for the Saturday supplementary governorship election in Adamawa after Hudu Yunusa Ari announced Aisha Dahiru also known as “Binani” of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner over the incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The electoral body immediately summoned Ari to Abuja and declared his announcement as an invalid declaration and a usurpation of the powers of the collation and returning officer.

The electoral umpire also said it will write the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to probe and prosecute Ari.

Before the collation exercise was suspended on Saturday night, results from 10 LGAs had been announced and Binani was trailing Fintiri.

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The collation of results from the remaining 10 LGAs was expected to commence by 11am on Sunday, and Mele Lamido, the returning officer for the Adamawa governorship election, was not present when Ari announced Binani as the winner of the election.

According to the constitution, Lamido is the rightful official empowered to declare the winner of the election.

Also, PDP faithful in the state resume their protest today at the state capital, as today’s protest was dominated by women carrying placards demanding the that the supplementary election collation process be concluded.

Their march to the state office of INEC was halted by security operatives comprised of the Nigerian Police as well as men of the Civil Defence Corps who barred them from gaining entry into the premises. The leader of the protesters, Felix Tangwami, condemned the action of the suspended Commissioner Ari saying the move was aimed at plunging the state into chaos.

Tangwami also called on the court not to entertain the prayers of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Binani claiming it had no merit.