The declaration of the Adamawa State governorship rerun election by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission INEC “is equivalent to a civilian coup.”
Former Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Senator Shehu Sani made the declaration on Sunday in Kaduna while reacting to the development.
The REC Prof Yunusa Ari had declared the APC governorship candidate Senator Aisha Dahiru Binani as the winner of the election as against the Returning Officer while the election process is still on
Shehu Sani described Ari’s action as ‘Ilegal declaration” while also commending Professor Mahmud Yakubu and the INEC for promptly intervening.
The former Senator commended the INEC for taking the bold step to suspend the collation of the Adamawa State supplementary governorship poll.
He further stated ,”It was obvious that the REC was out to truncate democracy in the state and by extension Nigeria if his action was allowed unchecked .
He expressed joy that the statement signed by the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye ,where the electoral umpire slammed the action of the Adamawa REC, saying it usurps the power of the Returning Officer is highly appreciated.
Noting that the good step about the statement is that it declared the announcement ,”… null, void and of no effect. Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended.”
Senator Shehu Sani’s statement further reads: ” The declaration by Adamawa REC is an equivalent of a civilian coup.
“The action of the Rec stands condemnable. Our democracy can’t survive if we condone such brazen act of criminality and brigandage.
He however, said it not enough to summon the REC and other perpetrators but also advised that ,”The REC and the security men, who perpetrated the acts must be prosecuted.
He said “Our political culture and attitude to election needs chemotherapy,.
“The dangerous trend in our electoral system has gone beyond the culture of violence, vote buying and falsification of results to the most obnoxiously and brazenly crude phase of taking over the collation center, seizing the mic and illegally declaring the results of an election.”