The announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at 5:49 pm on Tuesday was preceded by political intrigue.
Exactly one month after the March 18 governorship elections, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has emerged as the winner of what some might describe as a drama-filled supplementary election in Adamawa State.
In last Saturday’s rerun, Fintiri, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polled 9,337 votes besting Senator Aishatu ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 6,513 votes.
At the end of the entire exercise, Fintiri polled 430,861 votes, defeating Binani who got 398,738 votes.
The announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at 5:49 pm on Tuesday was preceded by political intrigue.
Recall that on Sunday, as collation was underway, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari, prematurely declared Binani as the winner, contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The declaration by Ari was quickly followed by an acceptance speech by the APC candidate.
In response, irate opposition members took their anger out on an INEC national commissioner, whom they mistook for the REC, assaulting him.
INEC, on Tuesday, said it had resolved to write to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to probe and prosecute Hudu Ari, the Adamawa REC.
The electoral umpire reached the decision when its national commissioners met at the commission’s national headquarters in Abuja earlier in the day over the election in the state.
In a series of tweets, INEC said, “At its meeting today, 18th April 2023, the Commission discussed matters arising from the Adamawa Governorship election and decided to:
“Write to the Inspector-General of Police for the immediate investigation and possible prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari.
“Request the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to draw the attention of the appointing authority to the unwholesome behaviour of the REC for further action.
