By Segun Oye
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has finally declared the candidate of the Peoples democratic Party (PDP, Governor Ahmadu Umar Fintiri, as the winner of the 2023 Adamawa governorship election.
The Returning Officer for the election, Professor Mele Lamido, announced that Fintiri, who is the incumbent governor polled a total of 430,861 votes to defeat his closest rival, Sen. Aishatu Dahiru Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who garnered 396,788 votes.
The final declaration was made after resumption of collation of results Tuesday afternoon in Yola.
Prompt News reports that INEC had on Monday suspended collation of results following the illegal declaration of the APC candidate, Sen. Aishatu Binani, as the winner by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barrister Hudu Yunusa Ari.
However, INEC Commissioner for Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye, promptly described the announcement by REC as usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer for the election and therefore, declared it illegal, null and void.
Prompt News reports that the Governorship election earlier held on March 18, 2023 in Adamawa state was declared inconclusive by the returning officer.
