The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Ahmadu Fintiri, the incumbent Governor of Adamawa State and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of the gubernatorial election held in the state.
The declaration followed a drama-filled supplementary election on Saturday, April 16, which saw Fintiri polling 9,337 votes to defeat his major opponent, Senator Aishatu 'Binani' Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 6,513 votes. However, the announcement was preceded by a series of political intrigues, including the premature declaration of Binani as the winner by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari, which was subsequently nullified by INEC.
The commission cited the contravention of Section 25 of the Electoral Act, which empowers only the returning officer to announce the result and declare the winner of an election at the state collation centre in the case of the election of a governor of a state. INEC's intervention followed the inconclusive governorship election held on March 18, due to the cancellation of polls in some polling units and wards across the state.
Fintiri emerged the winner with a total of 430,861 votes, defeating Binani, who polled 398,788 votes. The electoral umpire also requested the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, to brief the appointing authority on the unwholesome behavior of the REC for further action.
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