Drama as INEC declares Binani winner of Adamawa governorship election midway into collation

There was chaos at the collation centre of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Yola, Adamawa State on Sunday morning as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) declared Sen Aisha Dahiru Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

The announcement threw up protest from many present at the collation centre as other results were being expected until the REC made the announcement, a duty usually performed by the state returning officer.

There was chaos at the collation centre of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Yola, Adamawa State on Sunday morning as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) declared Sen Aisha Dahiru Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

The announcement threw up protest from many present at the collation centre as other results were being expected until the REC made the announcement, a duty usually performed by the state returning officer.

Prof Hudu Yunus Ari, the REC declared Binani as winner midway into the collation.

Mele Lamido, the returning officer for the Adamawa governorship election, was not present when Ari announced Binani as the winner of the election.

Results from 10 out of the 20 local government areas had been declared while the exercise was adjourned till 11am.

However, Ari announced the final result an hour before the scheduled time.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was leading before the pronouncement was made.

Some PDP supporters in the hall had protested why the announcement was made by the REC instead of the returning officer.

Background

The electoral commission had deemed the process inconclusive. Governor Ahmadu Fintiri received the most votes, according to the official figures tallied by INEC

Senator Binani trailed him closely. Binani lost to Fintiri by more than 31,000 votes. While Binani had received 390,275 votes, the incumbent governor received 421,524 votes.

INEC said the cancelled votes were more than the margin of the votes between Fintiri and the first runner-up, Binani and had scheduled a rerun for Saturday, April 15, in some areas. About 36,935 voters in 69 polling units, PUs, were expected to cast their ballots.