Yunusa Hudu Ari, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa State earlier today stirred a chaotic scene at the results collation centre where he declared Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed [Binani] as the governor-elect following a supplementary gubernatorial poll in the state.
WikkiTimes understands that the commission suspended collation yesterday night until 11 am today. It, however, stuns that the REC resumed the collation in the absence of the returning officer whose responsibility is to do so.
In an audio exclusively obtained by WikkiTimes, the REC claimed he has the right to oversee the election and as well declare the winner.
THE AUDIO
I greet the men of the press. I am Barrister Hudu Yunusa Ali mni, the Resident Electoral Commissioner Adamawa State.
You know by law, the commission has the sole responsibility to announce result especially for the governorship and state constituencies elections.
So you know what has happened yesterday. I came here at the stated time which was adjourned at nine O’ clock. I came but I was told by one of my visting national commissioner. They said I should be kept aside for the conduct of election. While you know we conducted all the previous elections. As you may wish to know, my appointment was done by Mr President and likewise, my removal has to be formally made by 2/3 majority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
As I said the conduct of election is the sole responsibility of state INEC under my leadership.
Of course in doing that, we have in essence, interagency consultative committee on election security which is co-chaired by Commissioner of Police, Director DSS and Civil Defence. Of course we have those that are yet to come.
With full of surprise, because if I should conduct all the previous elections and they said I should kept aside, it sound to me very unusual. I just went home, but when I went home I found out that quite a number of people especially you the press, will be patiently waiting, that’s why I came back.
When I came back, I said you gentlemen, it is me, resident electoral commissioner, and anybody that is coming to me is a helper, is a mere helper. If I stayed at home I would not be fair to them. So for the purpose of this election, as far as the gubernatorial election were held twice, the one that was inconclusive, held on 18 March and the rerun on the 15th of April. So I have the result of this election.
Nobody can give the election better than I do. And I am not being helped by anybody. So I want a tell you the result which everyone wants to hear.. This is the result, as far as the election is concerned.
So for this reason, I have the pleasure to announce the result for the parties that keenly contested the governorship election. That’s APC and PDP. For you to know, after the two elections — the first election and the supplementary election, the parties scored the following votes. I am going to start in alphabetical order. The APC scored 428,176. The PDP scored 221,203.
By this, I wish to, based on the score of the parties… The APC scored the highest votes. By that Asihatu Binani is hereby, by law, returned as the elected governor of Adamawa State.
