The Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described its candidate, Aisha Dahiru Binani, as the winner of the State governorship election, vowing to resist any attempt to upturn her victory.
Recall that the State’s REC, Hudu Yunusa Ari, had declared Binani as the winner after Saturday’s supplementary elections but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejected the result, later declaring Governor Ahmadu Fintiri as governor-elect.
But speaking at a press conference held at its state headquarters in Yola, the APC lamented the negative propaganda spread on the media by alleged agents of the PDP to discredit the process that produced Binani as winner of the keenly contested election.
The party’s state Acting Chairman, Elder Samaila Tadawus said the party would explore all legal means possible to protect the mandate of Binani.
He noted that she is already the state governor-elect, absolving Binani from reports that she attempted to manipulate the process through financial inducements.
While insisting that the lawmaker remains the most popular among others candidates, the APC chairman said it was the state government who mounted pressures on two National Commissioners on observation duty to illegally suspend the REC.
He dismissed reports that the REC usurped another persons powers in declaring Binani as winner, insisting the INEC official is also saddled with such responsibility.
The statement read: “We are concerned with the negative propaganda by the losers of this election. Some of them are: That the REC was bribed to make the declaration. This is a blatant lie. Our candidate was popular and did not require the manipulation of the process to win the election. Those who needed to manipulate the process are the ones who wanted the REC to be illegally suspended by two National Commissioners on an observer duty.
“We are also aware that the molestation of the National Commissioners was done by Agents of the State Government. Hired thugs were used to molest one of them to the point that he was stripped half naked. Shamelessly, one of the Agents of the state Government was seen apologizing to the affected person and claiming that they molested him thinking he was the REC.
“We condemn the weaponization of violence by the opposition. This is seen by their so-called daily protest which is a harbinger for violence. We call on security agencies to as a matter of urgency stop these misguided agitators who are bent on throwing the state into chaos.
“We wish to also express sincere appreciation to the people of the state for shunning their call for violence. We in the APC are peaceful and peace loving. We will continue to promote peace in the state because we believe that nothing can be achieved without peace.
“Let me state clearly that the APC and all our members in Adamawa sSate are solidly behind our Governor-elect and wish to announce that we will protect our mandate by all legal means.
“Finally, we call on INEC to abide by the legal requirements that provide for only the Tribunal or the courts to upturn a valid and lawful declaration.
“The REC has absolute responsibility for state elections The returning officers for Governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections report to him. Arguing that the REC cannot do what he did in the circumstances he found himself is a losing argument.”