INEC denies allegations of partisanship in Adamawa election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday debunked Aisha Dahiru Binani’s allegations of partisanship in the just-concluded Adamawa governorship supplementary election.

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, declared Binani of the All Progressives Congress the winner. However, after the declaration, rumours claimed that Binani gave INEC officials N2 billion to be announced as the winner.

Binani denied the report, noting that she would never do anything to subvert the democratic process, alleging that some INEC national officials paid “a nocturnal visit” to the state government house.

INEC spokesperson Festus Okoye said Binani’s allegation was false, stating that the commission does not join issues with partisan actors, particularly where no evidence has been provided.

“To set the record straight, no such visit or meeting took place, let alone the compilation of any purported list of collation and returning officers. Such a meeting would have been contrary to the oath of neutrality that we all swore to,” Okoye said.

Binani also alleged that the REC in the state was illegally told to stand down by two INEC national commissioners from Abuja who were supposed to be in Adamawa in a supervisory capacity, noting that the governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, selected the collation and returning officers.

According to Okoye, the commission appointed and retained only one returning officer for the governorship election, who also doubled as the State Collation Officer for the Presidential Election (SCOPE).

“Like all returning officers nationwide, he was issued with a letter of appointment by the Commission and the REC in Adamawa State was duly informed. The list of Collation Officers was also forwarded to the State with every page of the list personally endorsed by the Chairman of the Commission well ahead of the arrival of the National Commissioners,” he added.

Okoye urged the public to dismiss these allegations and urged those behind the mischief to stop immediately, as such fabrications have endangered the lives of its personnel.