Loyalists to Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani, governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) who was illegally declared winner of a rerun election in Adamawa State, yesterday, stormed the metropolis to celebrate the politician’s victory.
This comes amid controversies surrounding her victory. They anticipated that a certificate of return would soon be presented to Binani.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa, Yunusa Hudu Ari, had on Sunday morning declared Binani the governor-elect. At the time, results of 10 local councils were yet to be announced by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ari was immediately summoned to INEC Headquarters Abuja in Abuja. Subsequently, the commission directed him to “stay away” from its office in Adamawa.
One of the loyalists, Salihu Ahmed who is also a media aide to Binani, thanked his principal’s supporters for their roles “in the victory recorded by the APC” in the governorship election, Daily Post reports.
Ahmed said it was an irony that Fintiri who bragged about destroying the APC has turned out to be the one whose party, the PDP, “has now been buried.”
His words: “We, therefore, thank him (Fintiri) for his destruction of the PDP. We are here (at this demonstration rally) to tell you that our governor-elect, the first female governor in Nigeria, has gone to Abuja to collect her certificate of return.
“In the next coming days, we shall be going to the airport to receive her when she will be returning with her certificate of return.”
During the pro-Binani demonstration, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, arrived at the Yola International Airport and went to the Government House on a solidarity visit to his colleague, Ahmadu Fintiri.
Speaking to newsmen, Makinde condemned the recent incident that rocked Adamawa.
“People like Hudu Yunusa Ari have no place in Nigeria’s future democratic process,” Makinde said, asking Fintiri not to worry, as “INEC has enough people of confidence to do what is right.”
