By Jude Opara, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has tackled the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State, Aishatu ‘Binani’ Dahiru over claims that electoral officials colluded with the incumbent Governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmadu Fintiri.

In a statement yesterday, INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, said the insinuations by Binani are fabrications and mischievous.

Binani, who has since approached the court to challenge the victory of Fintiri, had in a statement on Tuesday, claimed that some INEC national officers from Abuja held a night meeting in the Adamawa State Government House.

“To set the record straight, no such visit or meeting took place let alone the compilation of any purported list of collation and returning officers. Such a meeting would have been contrary to the oath of neutrality that we all swore to.

“Moreover, every conscientious observer would have noticed that the Commission appointed and retained only one Returning Officer for the Governorship election who also doubled as the State Collation Officer for the Presidential Election (SCOPE).

“Like all Returning Officers nationwide, he was issued with a letter of appointment by the Commission and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State was duly informed. The list of Collation Officers was also forwarded to the State with every page of the list personally endorsed by the Chairman of the Commission well ahead of the arrival of the National Commissioners,” INEC said.

Okoye further stated that Adamawa was not in any way targeted in the deployment of national commissioners and other officials.

“In the case of Adamawa State where supplementary governorship election was held in 69 polling units, two National Commissioners were deployed while for Kebbi State involving 142 polling units, three National Commissioners were deployed.

“Similarly, one National Commissioner each was deployed to Sokoto, Zamfara, Imo, Rivers, Ekiti and Ogun States. This has been the standard practice of the Commission of which all RECS are informed in advance. Therefore, Adamawa State was not specifically targetted. In all other States, the RECS worked cooperatively with the National Commissioners except in Adamawa State for reasons that are now obvious to all,” the statement read.

INEC advised the public to “discountenance these insinuations as nothing more than a claptrap”.

“We also advise those behind the mischief to desist forthwith as such fabrications have endangered the lives of our officials (both ad hoc and regular) engaged in legitimate election duties. We expect well-meaning citizens to act within the bounds of propriety and decency,” the statement concluded.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa, Hudu Yunusa, Ari had on Sunday usurped the powers of the Returning Officer in the state, Mohammed Mele and announced Binani as the winner of the dramatic poll. INEC subsequently nullified the declaration, suspended collation of results and barred Ari from office.

INEC resumed collation on Tuesday and at the end of the entire exercise, said Fintiri polled 430,861 votes, defeating Binani who got 398,738 votes. INEC also declared Fintiri as the winner of the keenly contested poll.

Meanwhile, a video had emerged online showing that a beaten Ari allegedly said he received N2bn bribe to announce Binani as winner of the poll.

However, Binani, in her statement, said never offered any money to influence the process.

Probe Binani over N2bn Bribe Allegation, Falana Urges EFCC, ICPC

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana has demanded that adequate scrutiny be carried out on the alleged 2 billion naira inducement trailing the controversial declaration of winner of Adamawa State supplementary elections on Sunday.

The candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the election, Aishatu ‘Binani’ Dahiru, who was earlier declared winner by the embattled Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state, Hudu Yunusa Ari had denied bribery allegations leveled against her.

However, speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily yesterday, Falana said Binani’s denial is not enough.

“There are allegations that the sum of 2billion naira is fetching hands, so it is not enough for Binani to deny, there must be an investigation,” Falana said.

The senior advocate stated that those who were involved in the declaration of Binani as the winner should be questioned and brought to book, adding that Binani’s acceptance speech confirmed that she was party to the disarray.

“Was there inducement? That has to be investigated. The officers who were at the high table with Mr Yunusa Ari, the commissioner of Police, the Director of the State Security Service, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

“All those involved in the criminality that occurred, they all have to be tried under the law. It is not enough for the IGP to simply redeploy the commissioner of police involved or for the director of state security to be withdrawn from the state.

“This is not the first time that it has happened, there have been false declarations of results before now,” he said.

Falana commended INEC for the swift action taken to ensure that proper response was implemented, adding that except actions are taken holistically, the impunity and aberrations would be repeatedly committed.

According to him, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practice Commission (ICPC) have to be involved to ensure that all those who breached the law be prosecuted.

“The EFCC and the ICPC will have to be brought in to investigate the allegations of inducement of the sum of 2 billion naira. It is also in the interest of the APC candidate to ensure this matter is fully investigated.

“The IGP would have to speed up the investigation. By now, we expect him (Adamawa REC) to have been arrested and if he cannot be found, they have to get a court order to declare him wanted.

“All the security officers involved will have to be investigated and prosecuted. INEC has done the right thing by suspending him so that he does not further taint the democratic process.”

The SAN stated that the law recommended strict sanction for any form of electoral conspiracy, malfeasance and financial inducement.

“The law is very clear on this matter, under section 120 subsection 4 of the electoral act. For any false declaration of the results of the election, anybody involved is liable to be prosecuted and the penalty is three years imprisonment which for me is not stringent enough.

“There is also section 121 of the Electoral Act which prescribes 12 months imprisonment for financial inducement with regards to elections.”

He also demanded that the legal practitioner disciplinary committee of the Nigerian Bar Association in collaboration with INEC take disciplinary actions against the Adamawa REC.

“The Nigerian Bar Association has to come in, the NBA has to write a petition, to the legal practitioner disciplinary committee for immediate sanction to serve as a lesson because he has brought the legal profession into disrepute.”