Adamawa: INEC Issues Fintiri Certificate Of Return

The Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, and the Deputy Governor-elect, Prof Kaletapwa Farauta, have received their certificates of return in Abuja.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) presented the certificates to the newly re-elected governor and his new deputy around 5 pm on Wednesday at its national headquarters.

Fintiri on Tuesday emerged as the winner of an arguably drama-filled supplementary election in Adamawa State.

In last Saturday’s rerun, Fintiri, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polled 9,337 votes besting Senator Aishatu ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 6,513 votes.

At the end of the entire exercise, Fintiri polled 430,861 votes, defeating Binani who got 398,738 votes.

The announcement was however preceded by political intrigue.

With last month’s governorship election declared inconclusive by INEC, a supplementary election was scheduled for last Saturday.

However, on Sunday, as collation was underway, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari, prematurely declared Binani as the winner, contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The declaration by Ari was quickly followed by an acceptance speech by the APC candidate.

In a swift response to Binani’s declaration as “winner” of the governorship election, INEC said the pronouncement was of no effect.