Daji Sani in Yola
There was heightened tension at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) collection centre in Adamawa State at midnight as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties resisted move by the commission to manipulate the governorship election results in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Owing to the tension, the Returning Officer in charge of the state governorship elections, Prof. Mohammed Alaminu Mele, who is the Deputy Vice-Chancelor Administration, University of Maiduguri, announced the suspension of collation of results.
It was alleged that the returning officer was acting allegedly on orders from persons in Abuja, who were bent on having Senator Aishatu Ahmed of the APC declared winner.
In all, results in 20 local governments have been announced out of 21 local governments, with the governor of the state and candidate of the PDP, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintri, presently leading with 35,615 votes.
The outstanding local government is Fufore, whose voting population is far below the margin of lead the PDP has against the APC presently.
“It has been uncovered that INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Barrister Hudu Yunusa is mounting pressure on the returning officer for Fufure to tamper with the results,” a reliable source told THISDAY.
An audio clip also making the rounds, which was obtained by THISDAY, revealed a conversation between Yunusa allegedly pressuring the INEC returning officer for Fufore to, “do all within his means to deliver Aishatu Dahiru popularly known as Binani.
“I have received phone calls from the highest authority for you to do everything possible to return Adamawa in favour of the woman (Binani),” Yunusa was heard telling the Returning Officer.
According to what was revealed in the audio clip, the Returning Officer, however, insisted on announcing the results untampered because that was the right thing to do and also for his own safety.
“They’re (agents of the opposition parties) are insisting that we should not go to Yola. That we must do everything here in Fufore. That was why I sent Zakari to come and meet you so that you will give us form so that we can do it here (in Fufore)…We are now in thr police station,” the Returning Officer told the Adamawa REC.
“The fear of many, however, is that the suspension of collation till tomorrow, when only one local government is outstanding, may be deliberate in order to buy time for manipulation of the results,” the source added.
The source also alleged that the APC was also using same tactics in Kebbi State, where the results had been declared inconclusive, Kaduna and Zamfara States.
