Adamawa Governorate: PDP Demands REC's Arrest

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to immediately order the arrest of INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa State, Hudu Ari, for declaring the results of the additional gubernatorial election illegal as it stood.

PDP National Public Secretary Debo Ologunagba made the call in a statement shortly after All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Aisha Dahiru, commonly known as Binani, was declared the winner of the election .< /p>

Mr. Ari declared the winning APC candidate at the coalition center in Yola, the state capital, on Sunday.

Observers and party agents who witnessed the statement alleged that it was made when the election results had not been fully collated.

In addition, the electoral law stipulates that the winner of an election must be declared by the returning officer who is usually an academic appointed by INEC.

But, Mr. Ari has usurped the duties and powers of the returning officer, Mohammed Mele, a professor at the University of Maiduguri.

Mr. Ologunagba said the action was a planned attempt to destabilize the country's democracy and peaceful coexistence.

He therefore urged the IGP to ensure that Adamawa's REC "faces the full wrath of the law for its conduct".

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calls on the people of Adamawa State, Nigerians and the international community to disregard the alleged statement of the defeated All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Aisha Binani, as the winner of the Adamawa State Governor's Election,” he said.

“The PDP also calls for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Resident Election Commissioner of Adamawa State (REC), Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari, for making such unlawful statement in criminal usurpation of duties and powers of the returning officer, Professor Mohammed Mele, while the collation was in progress."

The PDP spokesman said it was nonsense that Mr. Ari had declared Ms. Dahiru without figures, adding that it was a violation of the country's constitution.

“It is even more absurd that the Adamawa State REC not only usurped the powers of the returning officer, but attempted to declare a winner without numbers in reckless violation of the provisions of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Electoral Act 2022, INEC guidelines as well as the sensitivity of the people of Adamawa State.

"This reprehensible criminal conduct by the REC of Adamawa State confirms the PDP's earlier alarms that demanded its immediate removal from Adamawa State following evidence of its complicity and having been compromised by the APC and its candidate to manipulate the election in their favor notwithstanding the votes of the people of Adamawa State.

“Mallam Yunusa Ari’s action is subversive and calculated to cause a crisis in Adamawa State, destabilize our democracy and peaceful coexistence as a nation. immediately arrest Mallam Yunusa Ari and subject him to the full wrath of the law for his conduct."

Mr. Ologunagba also urged INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu to immediately order Mr. Mele to continue the collection process.

"The PDP notes the statement by INEC Headquarters that Mallam Yunusa Ari's action is 'null, void and of no effect'. The PDP therefore demands that INEC Headquarters immediately direct the Director of the ballot to conclude the collation, announce the results of the voting units and declare our candidate, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the winner, having received a majority of the legal votes cast,” he said. p> READ ALSO :