- INEC Summons REC, Suspends Result Collation
- Nigerians knock INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu
By Charles Adingupu
It was a theatre of the absurd that played out at the ongoing Supplementary election as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), few hours after declaring Aisha Binani winner of the Adamawa State gubernatorial election, in what many Nigerians would term as twist of fate, quickly reverses itself by denying the announced result by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).
The supplementary election was held to decide the true winner between the incumbent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and his All Progressives Congress (APC) opponent, Aisha Dahiru Binani.
The incumbent Governor who was said to be ahead of his political arch rival with about 31,000 votes, earlier warned against manipulations of the supplementary results following attempts by some female power brokers to influence the outcome of the supplementary results.
To the chagrin of the people of Adamawa, the INEC REC in the state, Professor Hudu Yunus Ari declared Aisha Binani Winner of the governorship election midway into the collation of results.
In a swift reaction to the development, the INEC National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye in his Twitter handle, described the action of the Adamawa state REC as a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer, and declared the announcement as null and void.
He, therefore, announced the immediate suspension of the collation of the supplementary election results as well as summoned all involved in the election drama to the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
The development has continued to trigger mixed reactions among Nigerians in social media. Excerpts as recorded by The New Diplomat.
The Minister of State for Labour, Festus Kayemo in his Twitter account, described Aisha Binani victory as a glass shattering watershed for Nigerian women .
The minister who claimed to have a conversation with Aisha Binani prior to the day of the supplementary election, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for creating an enabling political environment for women to participate actively in this democratic dispensation.
Clement Warri:
INEC has once again lost a golden opportunity to redeem it’s battered image following the fall out of the last general elections.
Umaru Danladi:
I wonder where the INEC national Chairman Professor Yakubu Mahmood will be hiding after committing all these atrocities because he cannot claim ignorance.
Adekeye Adediran
Oh Nigeria! Professors who were revered and adored in the days of yore have suddenly become criminals politicians use to rig elections. What a country?
Efe, Warri Boy
What’s currently playing out in the Adamawa state supplementary election is better known as the anatomy of woman’s power.
Dickson Ughelli
This Nigeria, the more you look, the less you see. Nigerians know better that nothing good will ever come out of INEC under the watch of Prof Yakubu and gang of forty thieves.
It would be recalled that Virginia Ngozi Etiaba of Anambra was the first woman to serve as Governor in a Nigerian state in 2006 but not elected.
