ASHENEWS reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has faulted the declaration of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa state, Aisha Dahiru Binani as winner of the state governorship election.
This online platform had reported earlier that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Prof. Hudu Yunus Ari declared that Binani had defeated incumbent governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri after the supplementary polls.
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However, the Commission, in a tweet on its official Twitter handle @inecnigeria by the National Commissioner, Information & Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye on Sunday, described the declaration by the REC as “a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer.”
It also declared the declaration as “null, void and of no effect”, further stating that “the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended.”
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“The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a purported declaration of winner in the Adamawa Governorship election by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) even when the process has clearly not been concluded.
“The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer. It is null, void and of no effect.
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“Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended.
“The REC, Returning Officer and all involved are hereby invited to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja immediately,” the statement reads.
