Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has been declared winner the Adamawa State gubernatorial election, ending the72 hours “Usurpation Drama” that played out in the state and Abuja.
Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polled 9,337 votes while Senator Aishatu Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 6,513 votes.
In all, the governor polled 430,861 votes to beat the female senator who polled 398,788 votes, according to the Adamawa State Governorship Election Returning Officer, Umaru Mele.
An attempt by Binani to stop the declaration the true result failed before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.
Fintiri’s declaration as winner also came with its collateral damage: the police commissioner in the state was moved out on account of an alleged complicity in the drama that unfolded there last Sunday.
The Police chief, the head of the state security, and the boss of the Nigeria Civil Defence and Security Corps sat through a charade in which the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari, announced Senator Aisha Binani Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner midway into collation of results, a function that is the preserve of the Returning Officer.
No word has been heard on the fate of other federal government officials who were complicit in bizarre political drama.
Ari has been barred from the INEC office in Adamawa, while INEC says it will write the Inspector-General of Police to prosecute him.
After a meeting of its National Commissioners in Abuja on Tuesday, the electoral umpire said, “At its meeting today, 18th April 2023, the Commission discussed matters arising from the Adamawa Governorship election and decided to:
“Write to the Inspector-General of Police for the immediate investigation and possible prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari.
“Request the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to draw the attention of the appointing authority to the unwholesome behaviour of the REC for further action….”
The Police spokesman announced the fate of the police commissioner. Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, told journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, “The IGP has given directive that the commissioner of police on election security in Adamawa State, CP Barde should pull out of Adamawa State and the Commissioner of Police in charge of Gombe State, CP Etim Equa to proceed to Adamawa immediately, to go and supervise election and provide necessary information and ensure that the process is a success.”
There have been unverified reports of many in Adamawa State been induced with huge sums of cash to perpetrate last Sunday’s drama.
In his reaction, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, said on Twitter, “Congratulations, Gov Ahmadu Fintiri, on your deserved reelection as governor of Adamawa State. Thank you to the people of Adamawa and men and women of goodwill for staying the course in resisting coupists and enemies of democracy from having their way. The lesson from this exercise and others is the need for Nigerians to be vigilant and never give in to anti-democratic forces whose objective is to snatch, run with and undermine the mandate of the people as freely expressed in their votes. By the way, it is not yet uhuru as we still have one more major mandate to reclaim, and together as ONE, we shall accomplish the task for the good of our country and its people. -AA”
In its reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the victory of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in the Adamawa State Governorship election as a “momentous triumph for democracy and the Will of the people of Adamawa State over tyranny and desperate manipulative forces which sought to take over control of the State illegally.”
The main opposition party adds, “The spontaneous jubilation of citizens in Adamawa State and across our nation at the official declaration of Governor Fintiri as the rightful winner of the election irrespective of the nefarious schemes by the rejected All Progressives Congress (APC) is a confirmation that the PDP and its candidate are indeed the choice of the people.
“Governor Fintiri’s overwhelming victory is a validation that the Will of the people cannot be subdued no matter the plot by a tyrannic, domineering and power-grabbing few who, with over-bloated ambition, desperately sought to subvert our democracy, scuttle the electoral process, compromise the judiciary, subjugate the people and impose an unconstitutional regime in the polity.
“The PDP salutes the courage, resilience and determination of the people of Adamawa State in resisting the defeated APC and compromised INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari in their bid to destabilize the State.
“Our Party also lauds the Adamawa State Returning Officer, Mohammed Mele for his courage in standing on the side of justice, due process and democracy in the discharge of his duty.
“The PDP salutes the roles played by the International and domestic election Observers, the Media, Organized Civil Society and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians in ensuring that the mandate of the people of Adamawa State freely given to the PDP and our Candidate, Governor Fintiri, was not hijacked by APC supplanters.
“The PDP congratulates Governor Fintiri and the people of Adamawa State and urges the Governor to continue in his landmark transformational delivery of democracy dividends to the people in line with the manifesto, programmes and policies of the PDP.”