COVER
PDP, Governors’ Forum Celebrate Fintiri’s Guber Election Victory
By Jude Opara, Johnson Eyiangho, Gom Mirian (Abuja) & Yagana Ali, Yola
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the victory of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in the Adamawa State Governorship election as a momentous triumph for democracy and the Will of the people of the state “over tyranny and desperate manipulative forces which sought to take over control of the state illegally”.
The party said in a statement by its Spokesman, Hon.
Debo Ologunagba, yesterday, that the jubilation of citizens in Adamawa State at the official declaration of Fintiri as the rightful winner of the election irrespective of the schemes by the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a confirmation that the PDP and its candidate are indeed the choice of the people.Ologunagba said Fintiri’s overwhelming victory is a validation that the Will of the people cannot be subdued no matter the plot by a tyrannic, domineering and power-grabbing few who, with over-bloated ambition, desperately sought to subvert democracy, scuttle the electoral process, compromise the judiciary, subjugate the people and impose an unconstitutional regime in the polity.
“The PDP salutes the courage, resilience and determination of the people of Adamawa State in resisting the defeated APC and compromised INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari in their bid to destabilize the State.
“Our Party also lauds the Adamawa State Returning Officer, Mohammed Mele for his courage in standing on the side of justice, due process and democracy in the discharge of his duty.
“The PDP salutes the roles played by the International and domestic election Observers, the Media, Organized Civil Society and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians in ensuring that the mandate of the people of Adamawa State freely given to the PDP and our Candidate, Governor Fintiri, was not hijacked by APC supplanters.
“The PDP congratulates Governor Fintiri and the people of Adamawa State and urges the Governor to continue in his landmark transformational delivery of democracy dividends to the people in line with the manifesto, programmes and policies of the PDP,” he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Tuesday, declared the PDP Governorship Candidate in the March 18, 2023 Election, Rt Hon Umaru Fintiri, as winner of the election.
Fintiri scored a total of 430, 861 votes to defeat his closest rival, the APC Candidate, Aisha Binani, who scored 398,788 votes.
This was after the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari, usurped the authority and power of the Returning Officer in the election, and declared the APC candidate as winner on Sunday, while collation results were ongoing.
However, the INEC headquarters intervened by nullifying the declaration and summoned the REC and officials involved in the exercise to Abuja.
Also yesterday, the PDP Governors’ Forum has congratulated one of its members, Adamawa’s Gov. Umaru Fintiri on his re-election.
In a statement issued by the forum’s Director-General, Mr CID Maduabum in Abuja on Tuesday, it described Fintiri’s victory as victory for democracy.
“It was a hard-fought and hard-won victory, not just for Gov. Fintiri, but also for Adamawa; for democracy and for due process in Nigeria
“Indeed, Nigeria has just been rescued from descent into the abyss,” it stated.
The forum also commended INEC for the way it handled the election.
“It is in this regard that the Commission is requested to promptly re-visit all other elections where infractions had been identified.
“Where matters have been taken to the tribunal, INEC should assume a garb and toga of neutrality and inform the tribunals of the actual events that transpired in elections,” it added.
The PDP governors called on Fintiri to continue to justify the huge mandate and trust of the people of Adamawa.
INEC declared Fintiri winner of the supplementary governorship election in Adamawa having polled 430,788 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Sen. Aishatu Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 398,788 votes.
INEC Declares Fintiri Adamawa Guber Election Winner
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday has declared incumbent Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the governorship supplementary election in Adamawa State.
Fintiri polled 430,788 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Sen. Aishatu Binani, of the All Progressives Congress, APC who scored 398,788 votes.
Announcing the result yesterday in Yola, the Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed Mele, said that the supplementary poll was conducted in 69 Polling Units across 20 local government areas of the state.
“Ahmadu Fintiri of the PDP, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes in the election is hereby declared the winner and returned elected,” he said.
INEC had fixed April 15 for supplementary governorship poll following the declaration of the March 18 election inconclusive in the state.
However, controversy trailed the purported declaration of the APC’s Binani as the winner of the supplementary poll by the Adama State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barrister Hudu Yunusa-Ari.
The commission, thereafter, declared the pronouncement null and void.
It’s Not Yet Uhuru – Atiku
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has congratulated Governor Ahmadu Fintiri for emerging as the winner of the governorship election in Adamawa State.
The state returning officer, Prof Mohammed Mele said Fintiri of PDP scored a total of 430,861 to defeat Sen Aishatu Ahmed Binani of the APC, who polled 396,788.
Reacting on his Twitter page, Atiku said Fintiri deserved re-election.
He also thanked the people of Adamawa State for resisting coupists and enemies of democracy.
“Congratulations, Gov Ahmadu Fintiri, on your deserved reelection as governor of Adamawa State. Thank you to the people of Adamawa and men and women of goodwill for staying the course in resisting coupists and enemies of democracy from having their way.
“The lesson from this exercise and others is the need for Nigerians to be vigilant and never give in to anti-democratic forces whose objective is to snatch, run with and undermine the mandate of the people as freely expressed in their votes.
“By the way, it is not yet Uhuru as we still have one more major mandate to reclaim, and together as ONE, we shall accomplish the task for the good of our country and its people.”
INEC Asks IGP to Arrest, Prosecute Adamawa REC
Barely 24 hours after he was suspended from office, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it will soon write the Inspector-General of Police (I-G) to immediately arrest, investigation and prosecution the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa state, Hudu Yunusa-Ari.
INEC disclosed this in a statement it put out on its verified Tweeter handle on Tuesday after its meeting in Abuja.
The Commission further disclosed that the collation process of results of the supplementary governorship election in the state would resume at a time to be determined by the Returning Officer.
“At its meeting today, April 18, the Commission discussed matters arising from the Adamawa Governorship election and decided to:
“Write to the Inspector-General of Police for the immediate investigation and possible prosecution of the REC for Adamawa State, Yunusa-Ari.
“Request the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to draw the attention of the appointing authority to the unwholesome behaviour of the REC for further action.
“The collation process shall resume at a time to be determined by the Returning Officer. Detailed official statement will follow shortly,” the Tweet read.
It could be recalled that the embattled Yunusa-Ari had on Sunday declared the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Aishatu Dahiru winner of the Adamawa state Governorship election even as the collation process was still ongoing.
The development forced the INEC headquarters to immediately same Sunday to suspend the collation process and summoned the REC and all other electoral officers involved in the process to report in Abuja.
Similarly, the Commission on Monday directed the State Administrative Secretary to take over the running of its affairs in the state.
Court Declines Binani’s Restraining Request Against INEC
A federal high court in Abuja has refused to hear an ex-parte application by Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru seeking to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from invalidating her declaration as winner of the Adamawa state governorship election.
At the court session yesterday, Inyang Ekwo, presiding judge, asked Binani’s lawyer, Mohammed Sherif, to first address the issues of jurisdiction before hearing the substantive motion.
The court ordered Binani to file her address on whether the court has jurisdiction to hear the application within two days.
Afeez Matomi, counsel to Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of Adamawa, who was in court was not allowed to make submissions since the APC candidate brought the action through an ex-parte application.
Ekwo thereafter adjourned the suit till April 26.
The Adamawa governorship supplementary election was conducted on Saturday following the declaration of the March 18 poll as inconclusive over alleged irregularities.
The collation of election results was suspended till Sunday after results from 10 LGAs were announced.
However, INEC discontinued the exercise after Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the resident electoral commissioner, declared Binani, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner.
Yunusa-Ari made the declaration when outstanding results were yet to be announced — but the electoral umpire subsequently described his action as null and void.
The electoral body said the declaration of a winner is the responsibility of the returning officer.
This made Binani approach the court with an ex-parte motion.
Binani applied for leave of the court to allow her to seek, “an order of prohibition and certiorari removing to this court for the purpose of being set aside the administrative decision of the 1st respondent made on 16th April 2023 in respect of the declaration of the winner from the gubernatorial election of Adamawa state held on the 18th of March, 2023 and the supplementary election held on 15th April, 2023”.
The APC candidate also wants an order “preventing the 1st respondent, its agent, assign or any person acting on its behalf from taking any further steps towards the declaration of the winner from the gubernatorial election of Adamawa state held on the 18th of March and the supplementary election held on 15th April 2023, pending the determination of the application for judicial review”.
She claimed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Fintiri, resorted to stirring violence after she was declared the winner.
She averred that INEC staff were caught up in the violence and were manhandled which caused the electoral commission to cancel the initial declaration.
Binani submitted that INEC lacks the power to cancel an election result as such power is constitutionally vested in the election petition tribunal.
IGP Replaces Adamawa CP over Role in Poll
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali, has asked Mohammed Barde, commissioner of police in Adamawa, to withdraw from the state.
The IGP ordered Etim Equa, Commissioner of Police in Gombe State to proceed to Adamawa immediately to provide election security in the state.
Muyiwa Adejobi, police spokesperson, made the announcement yesterday while briefing newsmen in Abuja.
There have been calls for Barde to be redeployed from the state following the declaration of Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the governorship election in Adamawa.
Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Commission (INEC), on Sunday, announced Binani winner of the election while under police protection led by Barde.
Adejobi said the force led by Baba is committed to a free and fair election process.
“The IGP has given a directive that the commissioner of police on election security in Adamawa state, CP Barde should pull out of Adamawa state and the commissioner of police in charge of Gombe state, CP Etim Equa to proceed to Adamawa immediately, to go and supervise the election and provide the necessary information and ensure that the process is a success,” Adejobi said.
The Adamawa governorship supplementary election was conducted on Saturday following the declaration of the March 18 poll as inconclusive over alleged irregularities.
The collation of election results was suspended till Sunday after results from 10 LGAs were announced.
However, Yunusa-Ari declared Binani as the winner when the results from the remaining LGAs had not been announced.
INEC subsequently discontinued the exercise and described his action as null and void, adding that the declaration of a winner is the responsibility of the returning officer.
The development triggered protests in the state. Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staged a demonstration on Monday, marching through the streets of Yola, the capital of the state.
Meanwhile, INEC has commenced the collation of election results in the state.
By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja
Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Environment in the House of Representatives, Rep Terseer Ugbor (APC, Benue), on Monday, said that Nigeria has been marked as a major global trafficking hub for wildlife.
Representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency, the lawmaker also decried the illegal activities of poachers and smugglers in Nigeria, adding that illegal activities like poaching and smuggling are a major sabotage to the economy and called for action to stop the trend.
Speaking at a policy dialogue on “the endangered species conservation and protection bill 2024,” Ugbor said the activities of poachers portend grave dangers to the nation’s economy, adding that biodiversity is particularly threatened by the actions of those he called wildlife criminals.
He said further that wildlife crime also fosters corruption, facilitates insecurity and presents opportunities for the spread of zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19.
He said: “Nigeria has emerged with the unenviable status as a global hub for wildlife trafficking in recent years, and continues to be considered as one. Nigeria must therefore act swiftly and work to reverse this negative status and threat to our beautiful country and the world.
“The passage of this legislation will mark a major milestone for global conservation efforts and Nigeria’s international image. The passage of this bill will also advance the legislative agenda of the 10th House of Representatives for Nigeria’s environmental sustainability.”
The proposed law, he said, aimed to “address threats to biodiversity in Nigeria and across Africa by providing a consistent and strong legal framework to put an end to wildlife trafficking. In doing this, it embodies recommendations made following a consultative and collaborative analysis of relevant Nigerian laws for addressing wildlife trafficking.”
While highlighting the importance of the dialogue, the lawmaker stressed that there was a need to ensure that Nigeria’s biodiversity is supported by strong and comprehensive endangered species legislation.
He said: “Nigeria is also a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora obligating the strengthening of our legal framework for biodiversity conservation and this bill seeks to give effect to those obligations.“
Although not strictly a requirement of the lawmaking process, this policy dialogue is necessary to harmonize stakeholders’ position on the bill and clear the way for its expeditious approval and adoption as law.”
By Lubem Myaornyi, Abuja
Former governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai yesterday urged President Bola Tinubu to sack appointees who are under performing.
The former governor gave the advice while speaking with journalists in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He advised the president to review policies that are not helping.
El-Rufai said, “You appoint a person into a position and he is not working according to the expectations, you should have the humility to tell him that I need a better person, go and do something else.
“What we must to do as citizens is to pray for our leaders for God to guide them to see or do what is right.
“For God to give them the humility to reverse themselves when necessary and do the right thing; that’s how society progresses.
”According to him, the Federal Government is paying more on fuel subsidies now than before.
El-Rufai who delivered a keynote address at a workshop aimed at enhancing the skills of government officials in policy implementation and human resource management in Maiduguri said, “The Federal Government is presently subsidizing fuel, a fact that may elude many.”
He endorsed the policy shift, expressing his longstanding support for withdrawal the oil subsidy.
However, he acknowledged the complexities involved in policy implementation, noting that despite initial intentions, the government found itself compelled to reinstate the subsidy due to unforeseen challenges.
He said, “Currently, the government is allocating a substantial amount for subsidy, surpassing previous levels.
“Leadership requires pragmatism. When a policy fails to yield the desired outcomes, humility dictates that adjustments be made.”
By Donald Andoor, Abuja
Former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam, vying to be the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has pledged to work with critical stake holders to revive, reorganise and reposition the Party as a viable alternative ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“I know all that is involved in the PDP since I joined the party in 1998, under which I was elected as a member of the House of Representatives, then as a governor and a Senator. I know what the party stands for and most of its major players either dead or alive…“With this experience, my intention is to provide focused leadership to revive reorganize and reposition the party as a viable alternative” he said adding “the only way to prevent absolute dictatorship is to have a virile opposition party.”Suswam who spoke to some journalists over the weekend in Abuja dismissed allegation of different camps in the PDP but rather insisted the party needs a strong leadership to lead the way.Flacked by Hon. Richard Gbande, former member of the House of Representauives for Katsina Ala/Logo/Ukum Federal Constituency, Suswam emphatically said the party needs a strong leader.“I am not insisting it must be me but if it is me it will be better for the party.”Acknowledging he was widely consulting with the critical stake holders of the party, he explained that the PDP was not planning a national convention for the election of the National Chairman that has been vacant since the exit of the former National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu but the National Executive Committee (NEC) would come together to choose a replacement in line with the provision of Article 47:6 of its constitution.He explained further that the provision empowers the NEC to appoint a successor from the geo-political zone where the removed National Chairman comes from to complete such a tenure. He cited several instances to expatiate how the party had complied with the provision of its constitution in the past, including the appointment of Chief Audu Ogbe by the NEC to replace Chief Barnabas Gemade who was elected at the national convention of the party.He debunked allegation that the former National Chairman, has a pending case in court against the party over his removal with a terse dismissal that “Ayu is not in court.”The PDP NEC has slated April 18, 2024 to appoint a replacement for the vacant position of the National Chairman following the exit of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu last year.Amongst others contesting for the vacant position are: the 2023 governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, David Ombugadu and a former Minister from Kogi State, Humphrey Aba.Suswam, faulted some policies of the Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC )-led governmentas he regretted the dangerous economic slide as a result of ill-thought policies.He said the ruling – APC failed to learn lessons from the economic woes of Ghana and other Latin American countries, including Brazil that floated their currencies and attendant consequences on their economies.
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