2023 Polls: Adamawa REC Clears Air On Inconclusive Election Results

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) resident electoral commissioner in Adamawa State, Barrister Hudu Yunusa Ari, said only the commission’s headquarters in Abuja decided the rescheduled April 15, 2023, by-elections in 47 registration areas and 69 polling units in the state.

“Since there is controversy between INEC and the registered political parties, we have to make our presentation to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja to decide and do the needful,” the REC said.

Ari who spoke in Bauchi yesterday, revealed that there were three different conflicting results from the Adamawa State 18th March, 2023 governorship elections, INEC’s and two others which could hardly be reconciled, hence the declaration of the election results inconclusive.

He said, “That being the case, nobody can claim the election, there is no basis you can declare results, so we declared it inconclusive and make the case to the commission’s headquarters to decide the conduct of the bye elections.”

He attributed the resolution to the conflicting results from the three electoral zones of the state which were in dispute.

The INEC commissioner further explained, “There was tension, everyone wants to hear what could be the declaration about the results in question. There was a problem between those who wanted the results to be declared and those against it.”

According to him, the best option then was to recourse to the Electoral Act – Section 64 subsection 4, 6, 7 ,8, likewise Section 51 of the Act, stressing that “If there is a problem like this, you simply refer to the law.”

Ari said, “So we made the announcement making the results of the elections inconclusive, because we have to look at relevant provisions of the Act which is very clear.”