THE All Progressive Congress (APC) has accused the incumbent Governor of Adamawa state Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of unleashing ‘heavily armed’ thugs to disrupt the further collation of election results in the state.
The party also alleged that Fintiri is mantling pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to subvert final collation and announcement of the result of the governorship election.
Fintiri is seeking re-election for a second term under the People Democratic Party.
The APC made these allegations in a statement released by its National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka on Monday, March 20.
Morka further stressed that the election results showed that Senator Aishatu Dahiru (Binani) of the APC, is the winner of the Guber poll.
The statement read: “We draw urgent attention of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and our security services to massive thuggery, violence, intimidation and undue pressure by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calculated to disrupt final collation and announcement of result of the Governorship election in Adamawa State.
“Election results show a clear and decisive victory for Senator Aishatu Dahiru (Binani), the All Progressives Congress (APC Governorship Candidate. Faced with imminent and certain prospect of loss in the election, thugs and political actors led by incumbent Governor, and Candidate of the PDP, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, have unleashed heavily armed thugs to disrupt further collation of result and subvert the will of Adamawa people as expressed at the polls. The Governor is reported to have torn result sheets at the collation centre in a show of unprecedented impunity and executive brigandage.
“We are well aware of the massive pressure on INEC and law enforcement authorities to cave in to the inordinate demands of the PDP to subvert final collation and announcement of result. However, we are supremely confident that INEC and our law enforcement authorities will stand firm and conclude the election process in the State as required by law.
“The result of election in Fufore Local Government Area of the state must not be tampered with as Senator Aishatu Dahiru (Binani) holds a clear, unassailable lead, only awaiting final collation and declaration by INEC.
“Nigeria is on the cusp of a major democratic record with the election and emergence of the first female Governor of a State in the country. We urge all well meaning Nigerians to stand together to protect and uphold this historic victory for women and our country.”
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M