SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Adamawa Resident Electoral Officer, Hudu Yunusa on Sunday declared Aishatu Dahiru Binani of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the governorship election in the state even though the law does not empower him to announce the results.
The Electoral Act as amended in 2022 bars the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from declaring the collation of results in Adamawa State null and void, a Senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, Ishaku Abbo, has said.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Adamawa Resident Electoral Officer, Hudu Yunusa on Sunday declared Aishatu Dahiru Binani of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the governorship election in the state even though the law does not empower him to announce the results.
INEC swiftly declared the announcement null and void and suspended the collation of results for the poll.
The national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission subsequently invited Yunusa and some others for questioning over the declaration.
Reacting to the development in an interview while featuring on Channels TV Sunrise Daily on Monday, Senator Abbo said INEC lacks the power to nullify an election that has been announced.
“They cannot suspend collation,” the senator said.
He continued, “INEC cannot nullify an election that has been announced, they don’t have that power.
“Elections have been announced, it is out of their hands. The result has been announced by the REC. Section 65 does not operate in isolation, there is section 149.”
Abbo referred to Section 149 of the Electoral Act of 2022 which states that ‘Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, any defect or error arising from any actions taken by an official of the Commission in relation to any notice, form, or document made or given or other things done by the official in pursuance of the provisions of the Constitution or of this Act, or any rules made thereunder remain valid, unless otherwise challenged and declared invalid by a competent court of law or tribunal.’
The All Progressives Congress lawmaker also insisted that it was futile to challenge an already announced result while accusing the opposition party in the state of electoral infractions.
He said, “It has already been announced; you cannot review a result that they told us. They said the reason why they have not reviewed Fufore was that it was announced.
“Fufore elections were contentious, we prepared for a free and fair but PDP did not prepare for a free and fair election, they prepared to bypass the elections, they prepared to compromise some certain officials.
“We prepared for the elections and the elections went smoothly, with the introduction of BVAS, we all voted in line with the dictates of the electoral act and the INEC regulations.
“Election was taking place, the election was collated. PDP sent someone when they discovered that we had 37,000 votes in favour of APC and went and snatched election results. The chairman of the local government sent someone and snatched election results and disappeared.”