Adamawa Supplementary Elections Postponed Indefinitely

The supplementary election scheduled for Saturday, March 23, in Adamawa State has been postponed indefinitely.

Findings showed that this is as a result of a suit filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by one Mustafa Shaba, the governorship candidate of the Movement for Restoration and Defence for Democracy (MRDD).

It was previously reported that Shaba sued the commission over the omission of his party’s logo on the electoral materials used for the March 9 governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the state.

The Resident Electorate Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Kassiam Gaidam, had initially cited section 87 sub-section 10 of the electoral act, saying, “going by the electoral act, even court orders cannot stop any election at this point. Although we are not aware of any court restraining INEC, however let me tell you that court order(s) will not stop any election.”

It was however gathered that, on Wednesday, Gaidam made a u-turn, saying that the commission had been served with court order to stop the supplementary election in the state.

He added that the court would determine the fate of the supplementary governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

“l want to confirm to you that today, indeed a court order was served on the commission’s headquarters, and the commission in its usual very good tradition of compliance with court orders has sent appropriate notices, filed counter motions and counter originating sermon.

“We would be waiting to hear the outcome or the decision the court will take tomorrow,” Gaidam told newsmen.

On Thursday (today), Abdulazeez Waziri, a member of the panel presiding over the case, adjourned the matter till Tuesday next week.

It would be recalled that the PDP was leading in the March 9 governorship election in the state before it was declared inconclusive by the electoral body.