The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to tamper with the people’s mandate in Adamawa State.
The highest advisory body of PDP, stated this while reacting to the what it called the disregard for the rule of law by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Mr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari, in declaring results of the supplementary election.
The REC had, in the early hours of Sunday, declared the APC candidate, Aisha Binani winner of the election despite trailing the PDP candidate Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who was leading in 10 councils so far declared in the supplementary polls.
Before the call for supplementary polls, Fintiri had established a margin of lead of 31,249 votes, official results released by INEC showed.
Although national leadership of INEC has since nullified the REC’s declaration, acting chairman of the BoT, Sen Adolphus Wabara, said the open disregard for the rule of law is a pointer that the Electoral Commission is compromised from within.
He added that Nigerians are expecting INEC to act justly as a neutral entity with respect to the supplementary elections taking place in Adamawa and other states in Nigeria.
He said, “With due respect to the Electoral Act 2022 and the INEC guidelines regarding the 2023 electoral process, Nigerians watched in dismay the display of disregard to the rule of law by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, in person of Mr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari. Accompanied by Security Officials, and without following due process contained in the INEC guidelines and the Electoral Act, the REC took it on himself to assume responsibility for declaring results and hurriedly declared a winner in the Adamawa supplementary elections as results collation were still ongoing for 10 LGAs.
“So far, results from the collated 10 LGAs indicated that the PDP was still in clear lead over the closest contestant. This open disregard for the rule of law is a pointer that the Electoral Commission is compromised from within and Nigerians are expecting INEC to act justly as a neutral entity with respect to the supplementary elections taking place in Adamawa and other states in Nigeria.
“With the plethora of controversies surrounding the general elections so far, we call upon INEC to ensure that the outcome of the supplementary elections is not added to the list of controversial elections conducted by the body.”
The BoT however urged its party members to remain law-abiding and calm. It added that they will ensure the will of the people of Adamawa State is not thwarted by the few who have no regards for the law.
“We appreciate the media, local and international observers as they continue their jobs in ensuring that we have a Nigeria that is governed by true democratic tenets,” he said.
