Breaking: Adamawa REC announces Aishatu Ahmed Binani Governor-elect

Confusion trails Adamawa State Governorship supplementary election as Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari assumes the role of Returning Officer to announce Aishatu Ahmed Binani of the All Progressives Congress, the APC winner.

There is tension at the INEC state collation centre in Yola where the final collation of results from last Saturday’s supplementary governorship election was expected to be concluded on Sunday morning

The Resident Electoral Commissioner Hudu Yunusa-Ari, who had been reportedly asked to step aside due to controversies that trailed his conduct in the March 18 election, suddenly turned up at the collation centre on Sunday morning at about 9 am to announce APC’s Aishatu Ahmed Binani as winner.

The INEC Returning Officer for the election is Professor Mohammed Mele who was in charge of the process of collation at the conclusion of the supplementary election on Saturday, along with two supervising INEC National Commissioners

Only results from supplementary elections in 10 local government areas were announced before the exercise was adjourned at about 1 am on Sunday by the Returning Officer to resume again by 11 am.

However, by the time journalists arrived at the state collation centre, they were informed that the REC had come at about 9 am to announce a winner, amid protests by party agents who challenged his powers to usurp the position of the Returning Officer.

As of the time of filing this report, the Returning Officer Professor Mohammed Mele and the two supervising National Commissioners are yet to arrive at the Collation Centre and could not be reached.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up as tension is already high in the area.