Adamawa Election: Group blames INEC for awarding contract of sensitive election materials to Senator Binani

Following the stalemate of governorship election in Adamawa State, a group, Concerned Citizens for Peace and Development has blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for awarding contract of sensitive materials to Senator Aishatu Binani who is also a governorship candidate.

The National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Dominic Ogakwu speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, March 26, 2023 condemned the award of contract to someone who is an interested party in the governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, which the materials were going to be used.

He said the ungodly behaviour of some persons have led to the stalemate of the governorship election, warning that if not well handled, the outcome would not be in anybody’s interest.

The group leader spoke at the backdrop of Adamawa State governorship election that was declared inconclusive by the Returning Officer even when the incumbent governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party was leading.

He said: “What are the issues? First, how can Binani, being a contestant, be given the contract to print INEC sensitive papers in the same Adamawa State guber polls? By so doing Binani has clearly indicated that she has no moral standing to lead the the State.”

Ogakwu further condemned the solidarity rally being embarked by the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development Paullen Tallen, saying that her action was stoking anger amid the confusion given that Aishatu Binani did not win the election and hasn’t been decleared winner.

The group urged the Women Affairs Minister to be neutral in controversial circumstances like this, particularly that she was expected to play the role of a mother to all parties involved.

“Mrs. Pauline Tallen and those staging those ill-advised rallies should be held responsible if anything untoward happens in Adamawa state owing to their undue influence and agitations for INEC to award the governorship to Binani just like sensitive printing contracts were awarded to her.

“One of the annoying part of her game is the fact that Pauline Kedem Tallen, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, who ought to be neutral and play the role of a mother to everyone, but has failed woefully.
He asked rhetorically, why Binani’s penchant desperation to be the next Governor of Adamawa State? Why changing the facts and figures? Why the noise and the feminine support by women outside Adamawa state?

“What is the interest of women like Paulen Tallen who can’t boast of any electoral value in her home state of Plateau? Are tenets of democracy no longer sacrosanct that a winner should emerge through the popular majority?
We in Adamawa cannot allow someone from Plateau State to come and ruin our beautiful state.

“Is this not the same Pauline Tallen Plateau as Deputy Governor in 2007 that who was removed from office? If she was that good, why was she removed from office and failed woefully when she contested as the governor of Plateau State?

“Probably Mrs Tallen and those on her train should be drawn on few issues that her desire for Binani to be governor by crook is a cancer on morality. It is crass and unfortunate that a supposed Minister of the Federal Republic will be shouting victory and congratulating a candidate that did not win and not declared by the electoral commission. What sort of minister is that? Is she setting the stage for violence in Adamawa state?

“Is it not a shame that under Tallen’s watch as Minister of Women Affairs the representation of women at the National Assembly has fallen miserably flat? It is in her interest to clear her mess at the UN Women and the several alleged contract inflations in her ministry.
According to him, the group is only asking for fairness and justice to save Adamawa state from the claws of crisis.”