The political tension in Adamawa has hit the roof, as a delay in the announcement of the winner in the gubernatorial election involving Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani and Ahmadu Fintiri has led to a furore.
Fintiri, representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is seeking re-election and Binani, through the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) hopes to break the glass ceiling that has seen men hold the keys to Adamawa governor’s office since 1993.
Results from 20 local governments have been announced so far, leaving just one left. Fintri is leading with 35,615 votes, making it the closest governorship contest when compared to the gubernatorial elections in other states.
Binani has the backing of the ruling party, APC, and Fintiri is betting on his incumbent position, putting INEC in a dilemma over the weekend.
On Sunday, the Returning Officer in charge of the state governorship elections, Prof. Mohammed Alaminu Mele, had to suspend the collation of the results with one LGA to go, as pressure mounts from both sides.
PDP and other party agents, excluding APC, protested the suspension, as Furore, the LGA left is reported to have a low voting population that could put Binani in the lead.
However, INEC’s returning officer resisted the calls from party agents to announce the winner of the election till Monday.
The suspension followed reports that the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Barrister Hudu Yunusa, allegedly mounted pressure on Mele to do everything possible to announce Binani as the winner of the governorship election.
In a yet-to-be-confirmed audio call, Yunusa was allegedly heard telling the returning officer that, “I have received phone calls from the highest authority for you to do everything possible to return Adamawa in favour of the woman (Binani),” ThisDay and Sahara Reporters reported.
But Mele insisted on going by the books. With the audio tape making rounds, thugs in the camp of Binani reportedly took to the streets early on Monday.
They damaged cars on the road and attacked motorists, with one of the victims being Senator Binta Massi, the state pioneer chairman of APC.
Massi, who was a member of the upper chamber between 2015 and 2019 under the APC, was bruised and her car damaged by the thugs who she went to report to securities positioned at the INEC collation Centre on Bank Road, Jimeta, for assistance.
Meanwhile, APC, has accused Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of trying to subvert the will of the electorate.
A statement on Monday morning by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka charged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to stop them.
The party also called the attention of security services to “thuggery, violence, intimidation and undue pressure” to disrupt the final collation and announcement of the governorship election.
Morka noted that results so far show “a clear and decisive victory for Senator Aishatu Dahiru (Binani)”, its gubernatorial candidate.
The spokesperson said that faced with “imminent and certain prospect of loss”, thugs allegedly led by Fintiri have unleashed armed thugs to disrupt further collation.
“The Governor is reported to have torn result sheets at the collation centre in a show of unprecedented impunity and executive brigandage.”
The APC said it was aware of the pressure on INEC and law enforcement authorities to cave in to the inordinate demands of the PDP to subvert final collation and announcement.
Morka noted that the party was confident that INEC and our law enforcement authorities would stand firm and conclude the election process as required by law.
The party insists the result of the election in Fufore Local Government must not be tampered with as Binani “holds a clear, unassailable lead, only awaiting final collation and declaration by INEC”.
The statement added that Nigeria is on the cusp of a major democratic record with the emergence of first female Governor and urged citizens to protect “this historic victory for women and country.”
