Adamawa Election: INEC denies 'discreet nocturnal visit' to state government house

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to allegations by Senator Aisha Dahiru, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 15 supplementary polls that its officials undermined the electoral process.

The electoral body said its officers were not compromised after a “discreet nocturnal visit” to the state government house.

This was made known by Festus Okoye, National commissioner and chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, April 20.

Recall that Aisha Dahiru who is also known as ‘Binani’ had alleged that INEC officials deployed for the election compromised and undermined the electoral process.

In a statement she personally signed Binani said, “What happened in Adamawa was an unsuccessful attempt to subvert the will of the people. The REC was illegally told to stand down by two INEC national commissioners from Abuja who were supposed to be in Adamawa in a supervisory capacity.

“Even more curious is the nocturnal visit of some INEC national officers to the Adamawa State government house and the bizarre declaration the same day after the visit that they have taken over the collation through the backdoor with the collation and returning officers selected by the governor of Adamawa.”

Her statement comes after the incumbent governor Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner of the elections.

Though INEC did not mention Binani or any other candidate in the statement, the commission said such allegations were lies and should be ignored.

The statement reads in part, “Ordinarily, the commission does not join issues with partisan actors, particularly where no evidence has been provided.

“To set the record straight, no such visit or meeting took place let alone the compilation of any purported list of collation and returning officers.

Such a meeting would have been contrary to the oath of neutrality that we all swore to.

“Moreover, every conscientious observer would have noticed that the commission appointed and retained only one returning officer for the governorship election who also doubled as the state collation officer for the presidential election.

“Like all returning officers nationwide, he was issued with a letter of appointment by the commission, and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State was duly informed.

“The list of collation officers was also forwarded to the state with every page personally endorsed by the chairman of the commission well ahead of the arrival of the national commissioners.”

NBA