The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned against the nullification of the declaration of Aishatu Dahiru Binani as winner of Adamawa state gubernatorial election after Saturday’s supplementary polls.
Recall that State’s REC, Hudu Yunusa Ari declared Binani winner of the election while collation of results was still going on.
The development sparked tension and unrest in the state, with many political analysts and observers describing the action of the REC as illegal.
Reacting to the development, APC vowed to resist any attempt to upturn the electoral victory of Binani.
The party at a press conference held at its state headquarters in Yola lamented the negative propaganda spread on the media by agents of the PDP to discredit the process that produced Binani as winner of the keenly contested election.
Expressing its concern, the party’s state Acting Chairman, Elder Samaila Tadawus said the party would explore all legal means possible to protect the mandate of Binani noting that she is already the state governor-elect. He also absolved the candidate from reports that she attempted to manipulate the process through financial inducements, saying she remains the most popular among others candidates and that there was no need for her to thwart the process.
Speaking further, the party said contrary to false narratives peddled against the candidate, it was the state government who mounted pressures on two National Commissioners on observation duty to illegally suspend the REC.
It also dismissed reports that the REC usurped another persons powers in declaring Binani as winner, insisting the INEC official is also saddled with such responsibility.
The party called on security agencies to arrest persons involved in creating trouble in the state, while urging citizens to remain peaceful and law abiding.
The party urged the electoral umpire to allow the court process to prevail in redressing the matters.
Part of the statement read: “We are concerned with the negative propaganda by the losers of this election. Some of them are: That the REC was bribed to make the declaration. This is a blatant lie. Our candidate was popular and did not require the manipulation of the process to win the election. Those who needed to manipulate the process are the ones who wanted the REC to be illegally suspended by two National Commissioners on an observer duty.
“We are also aware that the molestation of the National Commissioners was done by Agents of the State Government. Hired thugs were used to molest one of them to the point that he was stripped half naked. Shamelessly, one of the Agents of the state Government was seen apologizing to the affected person and claiming that they molested him thinking he was the REC.
“We condemn the weaponization of violence by the opposition. This is seen by their so-called daily protest which is a harbinger for violence. We call on security agencies to as a matter of urgency stop these misguided agitators who are bent on throwing the state into chaos.
“We wish to also express sincere appreciation to the people of the state for shunning their call for violence. We in the APC are peaceful and peace loving. We will continue to promote peace in the state because we believe that nothing can be achieved without peace. “Let me state clearly that the APC and all our members in Adamawa sSate are solidly behind our Governor-elect and wish to announce that we will protect our mandate by all legal means.
“Finally, we call on INEC to abide by the legal requirements that provide for only the Tribunal or the courts to upturn a valid and lawful declaration.
“The REC has absolute responsibility for state elections The returning officers for Governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections report to him. Arguing that the REC cannot do what he did in the circumstances he found himself is a losing argument.”
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