The announcement that Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, had won the Adamawa governorship election drew a response from the Labour Party (LP).
Recall that on Sunday morning, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, controversially pronounced Binani the winner of the supplemental election.
While the collation of Saturday’s supplemental election was still ongoing, the APC unveiled its governorship candidate, usurping state returning officer Professor Mohammed Mele.
INEC Denies Declaring Binani Winner Of Guber Election, Summons Adamawa REC
However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) swiftly overturned Yunusa’s assertion, put the results collation on hold, and called the REC to Abuja.
In a statement on Sunday by its spokesperson, Festus Okoye, INEC said: “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a purported declaration of a winner in the Adamawa Governorship election by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) even when the process has clearly not been concluded.
“The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer. It is null, void and of no effect.
“Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended.
“The REC, Returning Officer, and all involved are hereby invited to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja immediately.”
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Yunusa Tanko, the head of the LP Presidential Campaign Council, called the REC’s announcement of Binani as the poll’s victor a national disgrace in an interview with The Punch on Sunday night.
According to Tanko, the development supports the party’s and its presidential candidate Peter Obi’s claim that the election umpire had been tainted.
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