By Abubakar Yunusa
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has condemned in strong terms the illegal declaration of a winner in the Adamawa State supplementary governorship election by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) on Sunday.
It also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately sanction Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the resident electoral commissioner in Adamawa, for violating the Electoral Act in the state’s supplementary governorship election.
CDD Director, Idayat Hassan made the call in a statement shared with journalists in Abuja, and said is a brazen violation of the clear provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
Citing the electoral act, he explained that the electoral act, 2022 makes it abundantly clear in Section 25 (2f) that: “The returning officer shall 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.”
Hassan said CDD observed with utmost concern the unhealthy twist of events involving the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (INEC) who illegally took over the responsibility of the Returning Officer by declaring the result of the governorship election. According to her, “It is an affront on the laid down procedure for the Resident Electoral Commissioner to have gone ahead to make the announcement when he is not empowered by the law to do so.
“Apart from the fact that such a step is patently illegal, the action of the REC is capable of provoking the breakdown of law and order in the State, considering the tense political atmosphere in the State given the inconclusive governorship poll and the subsequent supplementary poll.
“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 the prompt conclusion of the process in line with provisions of the Electoral Act and other extant guidelines”, she said.
