• NSCDC summons state commandant over alleged complicity
• CNPP hails court for dismissing Binani’s application
• Why Buhari did not interfere in Adamawa debacle, by FG
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, presented Certificates of Return to the re-elected governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, and his deputy, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta.
The event held at the INEC national headquarters in Abuja.
INEC National Commissioner in-charge of North East, Dr. Baba Billa, presented the certificates to Fintiri and his deputy on behalf of INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
Fielding questions from journalists in Abuja, shortly after he was presented with the certificate, Fintiri described himself as “a veteran of inconclusive elections”.
Recall that Fintiri was declared winner of the gubernatorial election in Adamawa by INEC after supplementary elections in 2019 and 2023.
Returning Officer, Muhammed Melee, declared Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner on Tuesday after polling 430,861 votes to defeat his major counterpart, Aisha Binani, of the All Progressives Congress who polled 398,788.
Fintiri said: “I’ve become a veteran of inconclusive election and I have learnt a lot out of it. It’s normal but I know that I won the election.”
Fintiri congratulated his co-contender and condemned the action of the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Hudu Yunusa Ari.
Ari, having usurped the function of the Chief Returning Officer, had prematurely awarded victory to Binani, even while collation had not been completed.
President-elect, Bola Tinubu, yesterday, congratulated Fintiri on his re-election in the Adamawa State supplementary governorship poll. He also applauded the victory of Kebbi State Governor-elect, Nasir Idris.
In a statement, he urged police authorities to investigate all that transpired in the Adamawa election, given the attendant controversy. He also called on persons aggrieved with the outcome of the poll to pursue legitimate means in addressing their concerns.
He urged elected public office holders to join hands with him in pursuit of the agenda to renew the hopes of Nigerians in a better, stronger, more secure, economically vibrant and prosperous country.
ALSO, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), Ahmed Audi, summoned the Adamawa State commandant to the national headquarters in Abuja over alleged complicity with other security agencies in the just concluded state re-run election.
The summons, according to the agency, will allow the officer to provide the management of the Corps with an explanation on the role he played during the exercise.
A communique signed by National Public Relations Officer, Olusola Odumosu, notes: “The Corps helmsman directed the state commandant to immediately hand over affairs of the command to his immediate subordinate.”
The Commandant General assured that the matter would be investigated and anyone found to be involved in any form of compromise during election would be dealt with, to serve as a deterrent to others.
Meanwhile, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) praised Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja for declining to hear an application by Senator Aisha Binani, seeking an order of the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from invalidating her declaration as winner of the governorship election in Adamawa State.
CNPP, in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, said the judiciary has, by the verdict, saved the state from anarchy, adding: “It is now left for our judges and justices to rekindle the courage with which they delivered landmark judgments during military dictatorship to deliver justice in all litigations on the 2023 general elections without fear or favour.”
THIS came as the Federal Government, yesterday, gave reason why President Muhammadu Buhari did not intervene while the Adamawa State gubernatorial election debacle unfolded.
It said responsibility for handling infraction committed by Ari, falls within the purview of INEC.
According to Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Buhari did not intervene in the Adamawa election crisis because he does not “micromanage” any institution of government in the country.”
The minister was fielding questions from newsmen during a briefing, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He further said he was not aware that a petition had been written to Buhari on the need to take action against the embattled Ari, whom he pointed out is an employee of the election umpire.
The minister said: “I don’t think this government has ever intervened in the way INEC conducts its elections. So, there’s no need for us to intervene. It was entirely an INEC matter and INEC handled it.
“The chairman of INEC is in charge of all employees of INEC and he’s handling it. So, what do you want the government to do?”
The minister also explained why he accused the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, of treason, saying if his running mate called for insurrection and he did not react, he is guilty as charged.
Asked why he accused Obi of treason during his recent trip to the United States, he said: “What I said about Mr. Peter Obi is very clear. I said Mr. Peter Obi has every right to seek redress in court like Labour Party. But nobody has the right to call for insurrection or to threaten to say that if the president-elect is sworn in, that will be the end of democracy.
“That was precisely what the running mate of Mr. Peter Obi said on live television. And I have not heard Peter Obi rein him in or correct him. So, if your running mate said something, of course, he is saying it on behalf of the party and that of the candidate.
“That’s why it’s an act of treason for anybody to say if a duly elected president in Nigeria is sworn in, that will be the end of democracy. It’s treason for anybody to say if you swear in a duly elected president, you’re swearing in the military. It is crazy. So, I don’t see anything controversial in that.”
