Worried by the controversy that has continued to trail the Independent National Electoral Comminsion (INEC) declaration of March 15 governorship election in Adamawa state inconclusive, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Concerned Citizens for Peace & Development, have warned against throwing the state into crisis.
INEC could not declare a winner over the margin between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri, and that of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed also known as Binani.
Fintiri, the incumbent governor had polled 421,524 votes while Binani, who is the Senator representing Adamawa Central got 390, 275 votes.
National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Dominic Ogakwu, handed the warning while addressing a press conference, titled: “Inconclusive” Governorship Election In Adamawa State. Binani: How The Inordinate Desire And Power Of A Woman Beckons Crisis In Adamawa, Sunday in Abuja.
The group, particularly, asked the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Paulen Tallen, and her co-travellers staging protests to desist from meddling in Adamawa state politics and not plunge the state into unnecessary crisis.
“One of the annoying part of her game is the fact that Pauline Kedem Tallen, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, who ought to be neutral and play the role of a mother to everyone, but has failed woefully.
“Further, why Binani’s penchant desperation to be the next Governor of Adamawa state? Why changing the facts and figures? Why the noise and the feminine support by women outside Adamawa state? What is the interest of women like Paulen Tallen who can’t boast of any electoral value in her home state of Plateau?
“Are tenets of democracy no longer sacrosanct that a winner should emerge through the popular majority? We in Adamawa cannot allow someone from Plateau State to come and ruin our beautiful state,” the group added.
According to the group, “The 2023 governorship election of Adamawa state has become a world centre of attraction. It is now a debacle of power tussle between the incumbent Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and Senator Aishatu Ahmed Dahiru (Binani), Senator Representing Adamawa Central, whose gross desire is to become the next governor of the state.
“Fintiri is facing a battle royale with the fierce desperation of Binani who seems to be powerfully influencing the conduct and the process of the governorship election.
“Binani began to fly a kite using unsubmitted Fofure Local Government results where over 30,000 votes was recorded in her favour. The imaginary votes threw confusion in the electoral process as people from all walks of life began to congratulate Binani as the first female governor in the history of Nigeria, including the international community even without final collation and announcement by the INEC.”
The group while quering INEC’s decision to declare the election inconclusive, stated that: “declaring an inconclusive election after announcing results from 21 local government areas by the INEC Returning Officer, Professor Mohammed Mele, is not tenable.
“…there was no reason to declare the elections inconclusive when the result properly indicated that Governor Fintiri scored 421,524 votes, Senator Binnani 390,274 votes in the 21 local governments of Adamawa state. What is the likelihood that all the 37, 000 collected PVCs will vote and all for Binani?”
Speaking further the cordinator noted: “What we are saying here today is that only fairness and justice will save Adamawa state from the claws of crisis. Because the simple fact is that Binani didn’t win the election, and the INEC must ensure that attempts to compromise it and change the canceled units to favour Binani will be resisted by the people.
“… INEC must demonstrate that it is independent and above board by explaining how the units for the rerun increased from 69 to 77 polling units as widely spared on social media. Any action not in tandem with the Electoral Act and its guidelines will not be permitted by the good people of Adamawa.
“It is also pertinent to draw the attention of the local and international community that Binani was never announced the winner of Adamawa governorship election and as it stands, except by devious manipulations, she cannot win going by the 37, 016 collected PVCs in the area under contestation.”
