Adamawa: REC’s Action Capable Of Provoking Breakdown Of Law And Order – CDD

Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) said declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Senator Aishatu Ahmad as governor-elect of Adamawa State without following the guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is capable of provoking breakdown of law and order in the state.

CDD in a statement by its director Idayat Hassan, described the action of the REC Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari as “patently illegal… considering the tense political atmosphere in the state.”

Hassan noted that the governorship election was previously declared inconclusive, hence the supplementary poll.

According to him, section 25(f) of the Electoral Act, 2022, reposed in the returning officer the right to “announce the result and declare the winner of the election at the state collation centre in the case of election of a governor of a State.”

He described as an affront on the laid down procedure for the REC to have gone ahead to make the announcement when he is not empowered by the law to do so.

The director called on INEC headquarters, “to immediately put in place the appropriate process to sanction the erring REC, whose action is capable of undermining law and order in the state.

“CDD similarly calls for the process as spelt out in the law to be followed in promptly declaring the winner of the governorship election.

“Importantly, we call on all participants in the process and stakeholders across the state to remain calm and maintain the peace.

“We urge INEC to ensure prompt conclusion of the process in line with provisions of the Electoral Act and other extant guidelines.”