‘Only Tribunal Has Power To Void Election’ — Binani Asks Court To Review Adamawa Poll

Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru has petitioned the Federal High Court in Abuja to examine the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision to annul her contentious declaration as the winner of the Adamawa governorship race.

On April 17, the ex parte motion, entitled FHC/ABJ/CS/510/2023, was filed.

Following the certification of the March 18 poll as inconclusive due to alleged irregularities, the Adamawa governorship supplemental election was held on Saturday.

After the results of ten LGAs were announced, the collation of election results was halted till Sunday.

However, INEC called off the election when Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the resident electoral commissioner, pronounced Binani, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, the winner.

Binani then asked the court for permission to seek “an order of prohibition and certiorari removing to this court for the purpose of being set aside the administrative decision of the first respondent made on 16th April, 2023 in respect of the declaration of the winner from the Adamawa state gubernatorial election held on the 18th of March, 2023 and the supplementary election held on 15th April, 2023.”

The APC candidate also requests an order “preventing the first respondent, its agent, assign, or any person acting on its behalf from taking any further steps toward the declaration of the winner from the Adamawa state gubernatorial election held on the 18th of March and the supplementary election held on the 15th of April 2023, pending the determination of the application for judicial review.”

She stated that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governor-elect, Ahmadu Fintiri, incited violence after she was declared the winner.

She said that INEC employees were caught up in the turmoil and were abused, prompting the electoral commission to reverse the initial declaration.