By Jude Opara & Mathew Dadiya, Abuja 

On Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa State, Prof Hudu Yunus Ari, declared Senator Aisha Dahiru, popularly known as Binani, as winner of the Adamawa Governorship election.

Prof Ari’s declaration was made midway into the collation, as only results from 10 out of the 20 local government areas had been declared while the exercise was adjourned till 11am.

However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, declared Fintiri as winner of the election, and on Sunday, it also declared Dr Nasiru Idris of All Progressives Congress (APC) as Governor-elect of Kebbi State.

“I note the matter of Adamawa Supplementary Governorship Election and I urge police authorities to fully investigate all that transpired in the election given the attendant controversy. In every democratic contest there has to be one winner. I call on those aggrieved to pursue legitimate means of addressing their grievances,” Tinubu said.

In a statement yesterday, Tinubu also congratulated the two Governors-elect, Senators and others who won supplementary elections on Saturday.

“I congratulate the winners of the Supplementary Governorship elections held in Kebbi and Adamawa States on Saturday, April 15, 2023. I also rejoice with those elected into the Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly during the last round of elections in states where such took place.

“These victorious men and women have earned the trust of their people and I call on them to rededicate themselves to the service of their respective constituents.

The supplementary polls have now brought the 2023 elections to a final, fitting conclusion. I observed, with satisfaction, the largely peaceful atmosphere that pervaded the supplementary election on Saturday. It was a further testimony that our citizens have accepted democratic norms and have unalloyed faith in the electoral process.

“With the conclusion of the 2023 elections, I now welcome all of us who have been elected to brace up to serve our people with diligence and dedication and to join hands with me as your President-elect in the pursuit of our agenda to renew the hopes of our people in a better, stronger, more secure, economically vibrant and prosperous Nigeria,” Tinubu said.

INEC, Not Buhari’ll Decide Fate of Adamawa REC – Presidency

The Federal Government says the responsibility to deal with infractions of the Adamawa State Residential Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari, rests solely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This comes on the heels of Ari’s recent suspension over his controversial announcement of the supplementary governorship election results in Adamawa as collation was still ongoing.

Among other resolutions, INEC said it would “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.”

But the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, in an interactive session with State House Correspondents, noted that he was not aware that a petition had been written to the President on the need to take action against Ari.

Speaking after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the minister insisted that Ari was an employee of INEC.

However, the minister maintained that the government’s non-reaction was because the President “has never intervened in the way INEC conducts its elections” and consequently does not micromanage any institution of government.

Commenting on his reason for accusing the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, of committing treason, Mohammed stated that if his running mate had allegedly called for insurrection and he did not react, he was “equally guilty as charged”.

Binani: I Won’t Subvert Democratic Process

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 18 poll and the April 15 supplementary election in Adamawa State, Senator Aishatu ‘Binani’ Dahiru has said that she won’t do anything to subvert the democratic process.

The APC candidate, in a statement, said she is a democrat and not a do-or-die politician.

Binani described as “bizarre”, allegations that she gave out N2bn to some unnamed staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) including embattled Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa Ari, to procure a favourable declaration as governor-elect for Adamawa State.

“I never did, I would never do such,” Binani stressed.

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 the incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 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.

“I wish to reiterate that I am a democrat, I have always been a committed democrat and will never do anything to subvert democratic process. I am not do-or-die politician. In the past I have won elections into the House of Representatives and the Senate in free and fair manner.

“What happened in Adamawa was an unsuccessful attempt to subvert the will of the people. The REC was illegally told to stand down by two INEC national commissioners from Abuja who were supposed to be in Adamawa in a supervisory capacity.

“Even more curious is the nocturnal visit of the same INEC national officers to Adamawa State Government house and bizarre declaration same day after the visit that they have taken over the collation through the backdoor, with collation and returning Officers selected by the Governor Adamawa.

“The roles of these INEC officers from Abuja and the real mission of the two to the Government house should be of interest to all democrats. I urge all lovers of democracy to take a deeper interest in our electoral process and democracy not only in Adamawa but in the whole country,” she said.

Binani has also approached the court to uphold the declaration by Ari that she is the governor-elect.