Atedo Peterside, president of the Anap Foundation, says the action of the residential electoral commissioner (REC) in Adamawa state governorship election was a disgrace to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The REC, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, had on Sunday polarised the political atmosphere of the states by declaring Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election while collation of results from the rerun exercise was still ongoing.
Immediately after the announcement, INEC suspended the collation of results in the Adamawa governorship election rerun and said the declaration of APC as the winner “null, void and of no effects”.
Declaration of results by the INEC’s REC in Adamawa violates Sections 64 and 65 Electoral Act 2022 and Part 3 of INEC guidelines which confers the power to declare results solely on a Returning officer appointed by the Commission.
Speaking on the development with Arise TV on Monday, Mr Peterside said the action of the REC is a representation of “impunity” by the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He described the situation in Adamawa as “embarrassing” but added that the punishment for the REC must also be extended to INEC workers on duty during the February 25 presidential election.
“If you have gone to the INEC IREV to see what happened in the presidential election in some states, there was impunity there,” the ANAP Foundation founder.
“And there is impunity here. We have to get serious in this country about whether to tackle all issues of impunity or just tackle them in Adamawa state. What is the difference?
“I agree that what happened in Adamawa was particularly embarrassing, but perhaps he took a cue from those at the centre, who handled the presidential elections.
“In some states, they refused to upload the results, why would states be having elections in different manners? We have to go back and hold people accountable. everybody should be held accountable, not just in Adamawa.”
On Monday, the Commission directed Yunisa-Ari to “stand down” from INEC’s office in the state.
Meanwhile, Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, the APC has approached the a federal high court in Abuja seeking an order to refrain INEC from cancelling the announcement which declared her as the winner of the election.
