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| Ahmadu Fintiri & Aisha Binani |
The Electoral Court in Adamawa state has confirmed the victory of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the PDP
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Yola, Adamawa State, has affirmed Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri as the governor of the state. The tribunal upheld the election while dismissing the petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Aishatu Dahiru Binani.
Binani had challenged the outcome of the March 18 election and the April 18 declaration of Fintiri as the winner following the April 16 supplementary election. She alleged that the election was marred by irregularities, violence, over-voting and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
However, the tribunal, headed by Justice Adediran Adebara, dismissed her petition for lacking in merit and evidence. The tribunal held that Binani failed to prove her allegations beyond reasonable doubt and that Fintiri was duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast.
The tribunal also awarded N500,000 as cost against Binani and her party, APC.
Fintiri, who is a former speaker of the state assembly and a former acting governor, contested under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He defeated Binani, who is a serving senator representing Adamawa Central Senatorial District, with a margin of 40,166 votes.
Fintiri polled 376,552 votes while Binani scored 336,386 votes in the governorship election that was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on March 18. The supplementary election was held on April 16 in 44 polling units across 14 local government areas of the state. Fintiri won 9,081 votes while Binani got 5,932 votes in the supplementary election.
Fintiri’s victory has been hailed by his supporters and party members as a reflection of the will of the people of Adamawa state. He has promised to deliver good governance and dividends of democracy to the people. He has also extended a hand of fellowship to his opponents and called for peace and unity in the state.
Binani, on the other hand, has expressed dissatisfaction with the tribunal’s verdict and vowed to appeal to a higher court. She has accused Fintiri and PDP of manipulating the electoral process and using thugs and security agents to intimidate voters. She has also alleged that some INEC officials were compromised and colluded with Fintiri and PDP to rig the election.
The governorship election in Adamawa state was one of the most keenly contested and controversial elections in Nigeria’s history. It witnessed several twists and turns, including legal battles, defections, court orders and counter-orders. It also attracted national attention and interest from various political actors and stakeholders.
The tribunal’s judgement has put an end to one phase of the electoral dispute in Adamawa state. However, it may not be the final word on the matter as Binani has indicated her intention to challenge it at the Court of Appeal. The fate of Fintiri as the governor of Adamawa state may still hang in the balance until the appellate court decides on the matter.
