Our reporter/ The declaration of Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the Adamawa state governorship election is null and void, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.
INEC also suspended the collation of results of the supplementary election.
The electoral body said the action of the REC amounts to usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer, insisting it is null, void and of no effect.
It said that the process had not been concluded before the declaration.
The commission announced this on Sunday via a statement on its verified Twitter handle, following the supplementary election held Saturday.
The announcement issued by Barr Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner, Information & Voter Education, directed the REC to report to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja with immediate effect.
“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 statement reads.
“The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer. It is null, void and of no effect.
“Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended.
Yunusa Ari, the resident electoral commissioner of INEC in Adamawa, had declared Binani winner earlier on Sunday, causing controversy.
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