By; TINA PHINEAS, Yola
Six political support groups of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have called upon the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to relieve the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa of his position over his recent interviews and actions which havr brought disrepute to the elections and made the entire people of Adamawa to lose confidence on him conducting an acceptable and credible rerun.
They also asked for a free, fair and peaceful conduct of the rescheduled rerun elections in Adamawa tomorrow, April 15, 2023.
The groups made this known in a letter which they submitted to the state INEC office during a peaceful protest around Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
The groups said, the actions of Hudu, have raised huge questions around the impartiality and integrity of the umpire and have also attempted to disturb the long lasting peace enjoyed in the state.
In the letter endorsed by six support groups and addressed to the INEC head office in Yola, they said, “Chairman, you may recall that the March 18th Governorship and House of Assembly elections raised some dust in Adamawa, thus leading to a rerun elections on 15th April, 2023.
“Sir, you may also recall that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Hudu Yunusa Ari, was caught in a leaked scandalous conversation with the Collation Officer in Fufore LGA. The action and inaction of the REC and his cohorts have heated the polity, causing tension in the state that could have sparked election violence if not for the usual peaceful approach of the people of Adamawa.
“Also in his recent interview in his residence in Bauchi, Hudu said there were three different results from Fufore knowing fully well that only one result existed.
“In view of the foregoing, INEC should investigate the sources of the three results as alleged by the REC because it is only Collation Officer that has the legal backing to present results and he presented only one.
“The REC who has been caught on tape telling the collation officer from Fufore that he has orders from above to deliver APC. INEC should not allow the man to continue because of his questionable character.
“The activities of INEC officials and the its ad-hoc staff should be closely monitored so as to avoid connivance between some INEC officials and officials of the APC and its candidate.”
The group further reiterated that they want a peaceful and credible election in Adamawa State where the will of the people will be supreme.
The group which went round the state capital carrying placards which read, ‘We demand free and fair rerun’, ‘Adamawa is a peaceful state, INEC should not ruin our peace’, ‘Beware of a referee-turned Number 9 striker’, among others.
New Nigerian reports that Adamawa INEC REC, Hudu Yunusa, was a subject of criticism by the PDP camp during the initial governorship election on 18th March, when he was allegedly caught in an audio conversation demanding that the Fufore LGA Electoral Officer alter the results of the LGA in favour of the APC candidate, Aishatu Ahmed Binani of the All Progressives Congress.
However, a rerun election was declared after results showef that the number of cancelled votes was higher than the margin of lead between the PDP and APC.
The PDP’s candidate and incumbent governor, Ahamdu Fintiri polled about 421,524 votes, while the APC candidate, Aishatu Dahiru Binani, polled about 390,375.
The results shows that the PDP candidate is leading by about 31,249 votes into the rerun.
