The All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the Adamawa State governor, Umaru Fintiri, of attempts to disrupt result collation by unleashing undue pressure to prevent his imminent defeat.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had postponed the collation of the governorship election results from Local Government Areas until noon.
Prof. Mohammed Mele, state collation officer and Mr Yakubu Ari, Adamawa resident Electoral Commissioner, REC announced this on Monday after collation of results from 20 out of the 21 LGAs.
In a statement issued on Monday, the national publicity secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, warned against any attempt to subvert the will of the people in the state’s governorship election.
Mr Morka, who claimed that the election result shows a clear and decisive victory for its candidate, Aisha Binani, expressed confidence that the electoral umpire and law enforcement agencies would stand firm and ensure the election process is concluded as required by law.
“We draw urgent attention of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and our security services to massive thuggery, violence, intimidation and undue pressure by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calculated to disrupt final collation and announcement of result of the Governorship election in Adamawa State.
“Election results show a clear and decisive victory for Senator Aishatu Dahiru (Binani), the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate.
“Faced with imminent and certain prospect of loss in the election, thugs and political actors led by incumbent Governor, and Candidate of the PDP, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, have unleashed heavily armed thugs to disrupt further collation of results and subvert the will of Adamawa people as expressed at the polls.
“The governor is reported to have torn result sheets at the collation centre in a show of unprecedented impunity and executive brigandage.
“We are well aware of the massive pressure on INEC and law enforcement authorities to cave in to the inordinate demands of the PDP to subvert final collation and announcement of result.
“However, we are supremely confident that INEC and our law enforcement authorities will stand firm and conclude the election process in the State as required by law,” Mr Morka added.
The statement also warned against tampering with the election result of Fufore Local Government Area of the state, stressing that Mrs Binani holds a clear, unassailable lead in the area.
“The result of election in Fufore Local Government Area of the state must not be tampered with as Senator Aishatu Dahiru [Binani] holds a clear, unassailable lead, only awaiting final collation and declaration by INEC.
“Nigeria is on the cusp of a major democratic record with the election and emergence of the first female governor of a state in the country. We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to stand together to protect and uphold this historic victory for women and our country,” he added.
