Nigeria’s president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has called for an investigation of the controversy surrounding the Adamawa state governorship election.
The Adamawa state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa Ari had on Sunday usurped the powers of the Returning Officer in the state, Mohammed Mele and announced Binani as the winner of the dramatic poll.
INEC subsequently nullified the declaration, suspended the collation of results and barred Ari from office.
INEC resumed collation on Tuesday and at the end of the entire exercise, said the incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 430,861 votes, defeating Binani who got 398,738 votes. INEC also declared Fintiri as the winner of the keenly contested poll.
Meanwhile, a video had emerged online showing that a beaten Ari allegedly said he received N2bn bribe to announce Binani as winner of the poll.
In a statement on Wednesday, Tinubu called for a thorough investigation of “all that transpired” in the election.
“The supplementary polls have now brought the 2023 elections to a final, fitting conclusion. I observed, with satisfaction, the largely peaceful atmosphere that pervaded the supplementary election on Saturday. It was a further testimony that our citizens have accepted democratic norms and have unalloyed faith in the electoral process,” the statement reads.
“However, I note the matter of Adamawa Supplementary Governorship Election and I urge police authorities to fully investigate all that transpired in the election given the attendant controversy. In every democratic contest, there has to be one winner. I call on those aggrieved to pursue legitimate means of addressing their grievances.”
