Adamawa governorship: State is too big to be put in ‘Senator Binani’s handbag’ – Group

A group operating under the aegis of Concerned Citizens for Peace and Development has warned against possible breakdown of law and order in Adamawa State.

The warning came as a result of the declaration of inconclusive declaration of the governorship election results which was keenly contested by the incumbent governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Senator Aishatu Binani of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Coordinator of the Concerned Citizens for Peace and Development, Comrade Dominic Ogakwu, speaking a press conference on Sunday accused Senator Binani of desperation who is using all instruments at her disposal to manipulate the election that she didn’t win.

The group said, Adamawa State is too big for the female governorship contestant to put into her handbag, no matter how expensive, revealing that secret plans with INEC officials who handled elections in Adamawa State keep coming into the open.

Comrade Ogakwu stated that INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa State connived with others to coerce Fufore LG Collation Officer to cook figures in favour of Aishatu Binani of the All Progressives Congress, APC when it became obvious that PDP’s Ahmadu Fintiri was leading.

“The leaked audio conversation where the REC, Barrister Hudu Yunusa trying to coerce the Fufore Collation Officer to manipulate the outcome of the elections was admitted by the REC.

It is a crime that no sane society should overlook or remain silent.

“Binani has continued to display contempt for the people of Adamawa State thinking Abuja can declare her governor by staging all those meaningless solidarity visits.

“Well, Adamawa is too big to be put in her hand bag, however expensive.

“We are not in doubt that about her desperation as Binani in her Fulfulde native language used the word “Wujja Wujja,” severally, meaning she will battle the seat of power even if it means her stealing it. This portends grave danger especially to democracy and good governance.

He challenged INEC to demostrate that it is independent and above board by explaining how the units for the rerun increased from 69 to 77 polling units as widely spared on social media. Any action not in tandem with the Electoral Act and its guidelines will not be permitted by the good people of Adamawa.

“All eyes are on Adamawa State over 2023 Governorship election that had been declared inconclusive which has
a debacle of power tussle between the incumbent Governor, Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and Senator Aishatu Ahmed Dahiru (Binani), Senator representing Adamawa Central

“Binani began to fly a kite using unsubmitted Fofure Local Government results where over thirty one thousand votes was recorded in her favor.

“The imaginary votes threw confusion in the electoral process as people from all walks of life began to congratulate Binani as the first female Governor in the history of Nigeria, including the international community even without final collation and announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Also, on declaring an inconclusive election after announcing results from twenty one local government areas by the INEC Returning Officer, Professor Mohammed Mele, is not tenable.

“According to Mele, a winner could not emerge because the number of collected Permanent Voter Cards, PVC, in 69 polling units in which elections were not hold and the canceled figures are higher than the winning margin of 31,250 polled by Fintiri.”

Accrding to him, in INEC’s official documents on the affected 69 polling units which is a total of 41,796 registered voters, only 37,016 collected their PVCs which is more than the margin between Fintiri and Binnani which shows that there was no reason to declare the elections inconclusive when the result properly indicated that Governor Fintiri scored 421,524 votes, Senator Binnani 390,274 votes in the 21 local governments of Adamawa state.
“What is the likelihood that all the 37, 000 collected PVCs will vote and all for Binani?

He said his group is speaking as concerned Nigerians who are indigenes of Adamawa State and have followed the political trends.

“We are worried that given the toxic environment being created by Binani who was even receiving congratulatory messages on social media has placed the state on a time bomb.

“She is wielding power, influence and affluence by making it to look as if she must be the Governor of Adamawa state at all cost.

“Adamawa is sitting on a gun powder because the Binani ungodly desire is infuriating the common people whose votes have already counted for a winner to emerge.

“The state is known to be peaceful and rightly labeled as the Land of Beauty. It is in the light of this we urge that urgent attention is paid to the antics of Binani and her co-travellers before they derail the peace in the state by claiming victory that is not theirs to claim.

“Because the simple fact is that Binani didn’t win the election, and the INEC must ensure that attempts to compromise it and change the canceled units to favor Binani will be resisted by the people.

“It is also pertinent to draw the attention of the local and international community that Binani was never announced the winner of Adamawa Governorship election and as it stands, except by devious manipulations, she cannot win going by the 37, 016 collected PVCs in the area under contestation.

“Our appeal is for the security agencies to take note, for the INEC to demonstrate some modicum of integrity and neutrality and for all those fanning this wildfire of an illusory victory of Binani to desist and not plunge Adamawa into unnecessary crisis because of the Macbeth-like ambition of one woman.”