…Commends INEC for suspending collation of supplementary election results

From Noah Ebije, Kaduna

Former Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Senator Shehu Sani has said that the declaration of governorship election of Adamawa State, announcing the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Aisha Binnani as the winner by the Resident Electoral Commission (REC), “as against the Returning Officer while the election process is still on is equivalent of civilian coup.”

Sani, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for taking the bold step to suspend the collation of the State supplementary governorship poll.

Senator Shehu Sani who disclosed this in a swift reaction to what he termed ‘Illegal declaration” by Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner in a statement personally signed and made available to journalists in Kaduna on Sunday commended Professor Mahmud Yakubu and the INEC for prompt intervention.

He further stated ,”It was obvious that the REC was out to truncate democracy in the state and by extension Nigeria if his action was allowed unchecked .

He expressed joy that the statement signed by the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye ,where the electoral umpire slammed the action of the Adamawa REC, saying it usurped the power of the Returning Officer is highly appreciated.

Noting that the good step about the statement is that it declared the announcement ,”… null, void and of no effect. Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended.”

Senator Shehu Sani’s Statement further reads: ” The declaration by Adamawa REC is an equivalent of a civilian coup.

“The action of the REC stands condemnable. Our democracy can’t survive if we condone such brazen act of criminality and brigandage”.

He however, said it is not enough to summon the REC and other perpetrators but also advised that ,”The REC and the security men, who perpetrated the acts must be prosecuted.

“Our political culture and attitude to election needs chemotherapy, The dangerous trend in our electoral system has gone beyond the culture of violence, vote buying and falsification of results to the most obnoxiously and brazenly crude phase of taking over the collation center,seizing the Mic and illegally declaring the results of an election”. The statement added.