Aviation Workers’ Strike Stalls INEC’s Decision On Adamawa Gov’ship Poll  

The current warning strike by Aviation workers in the country has stalled the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the inconclusive Adamawa State governorship election.

Recall that INEC suspended further collation of Adamawa governorship election results on Sunday after the State’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, illegally announced the purported winner of the election prior to the completion of the exercise after the Saturday’s supplementary elections in some polling units of the State.

Consequently, the Commission summoned the REC and the Returning Officer to its national headquarters in Abuja for a review of the exercise at a scheduled meeting on Monday.

But, critical officials particularly National Commissioners expected at the meeting to review the Adamawa governorship election exercise couldn’t make it to Abuja because of the disruption of Aviation services occasioned by the workers’ strike action which begun on Monday.

LEADERSHIP reports that passengers were stranded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, as Nigeria’s aviation workers embarked on a two-day warning strike across the country.

This is even as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has advised travellers and stakeholders to make contingency plans to avoid missing their flights and appointments.

Speaking during an exclusive chat with LEADERSHIP on Monday evening in Abuja, the National Commissioner and chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Barr. Festus Okoye, said the Commission will definitely take a decision but its Commissioners were not in Abuja yet.

He said the Commission simultaneously conducted elections in Kebbi, Adamawa, Zamfara, Sokoto, Imo, Oyo, and Rivers States, adding that most of its National Commissioners were still stranded in different locations across the country.

According to Okoye, “Definitely we will take a decision on Adamawa governorship election. The fact is three of our National Commissioners monitored the election in Kebbi State and the result was announced at 4:00pm yesterday, two National Commissioners supervised the supplementary election in Sokoto, two in Adamawa, one in Zamfara, one in Imo, one in Oyo, and one in Rivers State.

“The issue now is, you are aware that they were expected to be in Abuja today (Monday). The strike has stalled their arrival at the Commission headquarters. However, I hope you are aware that aviation workers are on strike, and throughout in the morning today there was no flight. So our National Commissioners have to meet in Abuja to take a decision on the Adamawa governorship election and we cannot do this on the highway. However, I just arrived Abuja a few minutes ago.

“So, if a good number of national commissioners arrives Abuja today (Monday), we will take a decision tomorrow (Tuesday).”