SAHARA REPORTERS
Vrati Nzonzo, the Coordinator of the Campaign Council of Aishatu “Binani” Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Adamawa State governorship election has said that the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, declared Binani winner of the election because the Returning Officer, Mohammed Mele “disappeared” when collation resumed on April 16, 2023.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday in defence of Yunusa-Ari, the APC/Binani Campaign Council Coordinator said that “The Returning Officer disappeared.”
Nzonzo added that “As far as I am concerned, they have been there all along, maybe through the night.”
Recall that Yunusa-Ari declared Binani winner of the governorship election while collation was yet to be completed after supplementary election was conducted on April 15th.
Contrary to Nzonzo’s claim, the collation of the supplementary election was postponed to 11a.m the following day but Yunusa-Ari resumed collation around 9a.m and subsequently announced Binani winner without the collation officer whose legal mandate it was to carry out such duty.
But the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nullified the declaration by Yunusa-Ari, suspended collation of results and barred him from office.
In nullifying Yunusa-Ari’s declaration, INEC relied on Section 25 (2)(f) of the Electoral Act 2022 to take its decision.
INEC resumed collation of the election results on April 18 and subsequently declared the incumbent Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the polling having polled a total of 430,861 votes to defeat Binani who scored a total of 398,738 votes.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the suspension of Yunusa-Ari and ordered his arrest and prosecution but the REC has reportedly disappeared with Nzonzo saying that the APC does not know the whereabouts of the suspended REC.
On whether Yunusa-Ari’s action was wrong, Nzonzo said that “It is not wrong. On the premise that he doesn’t want to allow a vacuum in the state, results must be announced.”
Speaking further, he said, “As far as I am concerned, it’s okay. If Mr Hudu announced the election as inconclusive, why won’t he announce the winner of the election?
“When he announced the first election as inconclusive, nobody said anything. Mr Festus Okoye was not on national television to condemn it but when on the second turn, he announced distinguished Senator Aishatu Binani as the winner of the election, all hell let loose.
“Mr Hudu has already made it clear to the best of my knowledge that considering the circumstances he found himself in at that moment, he had to take the responsibility and act.”
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