Adamawa governor, deputy governor-elect to receive certificates of return

The Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri and Deputy Governor-elect, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, will be issued their certificates of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday.

INEC on Tuesday declared incumbent governor, Fintiri as the winner of the highly controversial supplementary gubernatorial election in Adamawa State.

As announced by the state Returning Officer, Professor Mohammed Mele, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Fintiri polled a total of 430,861 votes to defeat Senator Aishatu ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who got 396,788.

“Following the conclusion of supplementary elections nationwide and the declaration of winners, the Commission will present certificates of return to the Adamawa State Governor and Deputy Governor-elect at 3pm today at the Conference Room, INEC Headquarters, Maitama, Abuja,” INEC tweeted.

INEC voided the declaration of Binani as the winner of the Adamawa governorship election on Sunday.

That was after the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa state, Hudu Yunusa Ari had earlier declared that Binani won the supplementary gubernatorial election that was held on Saturday.

Ari’s declaration was contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Section 25 of the Electoral Act, 2022 empowers only the returning officer to announce the result and declare the winner of an election at the state collation centre in the case of election of a governor of a state.

INEC thereafter summoned Ari to Abuja and declared his announcement an invalid declaration and a usurpation of the powers of the collation and returning officer.

Ari was also told by INEC to stay away from all activities of the electoral umpire and the election in Adamawa State.