Vrati Nzonzo, the Coordinator of the Binani Campaign Council, has defended Hudu Yunusa Ari, the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa State.
It will be remembered that during the supplementary polls for the Adamawa State governorship election, Ari declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Aishatu Binani, as the “winner” of the governorship election in the absence of the Returning Officer, Mohammed Mele.
WITHIN NIGERIA understands that Binani’s campaign coordinator has made a case for Ari while justifying his action, which was later reversed by the electoral umpire’s leadership.
According to Nzonzo, “the Returning Officer disappeared,” which is why Ari declared his main ‘winner’ of the polls.
On Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, the APC chieftain insisted that Ari, who has been accused of usurping the constitutional function of the returning officer, was not in the wrong.
He maintained that;
It is not wrong. On the premise that he doesn’t want to allow a vacuum in the state, results must be announced.
As far as I am concerned, it’s okay. If Mr Hudu announced the election as inconclusive, why won’t he announce the winner of the election?
When he announced the first election as inconclusive, nobody said anything. Mr Festus Okoye was not on national television to condemn it but when on the second turn, he announced distinguished Senator Aishatu Binani as the winner of the election, all hell let loose.
Speaking further, he asserted that Binani is being “victimised” because she is a woman, and the courts will decide the matter.
He added that;
As far as we are concerned, there seems to be a very biased position taken against our candidate. And it’s unfortunate.
As far as we are concerned, she is being witchhunted, and she is being drown using the media and other individuals that are out there to victimise her, may be because she is a woman. We are proud of her and her achievement.
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