Confusion in Adamawa Governorship Supplementary Election as Suspended REC Assumes Role of Returning Officer, Announces APC’s Aishatu Ahmed Winner

There is tension at the INEC state collation centre in Yola where the final collation of results from last Saturday’s supplementary governorship election was expected to be concluded Sunday morning

The Resident Electoral Commissioner Hudu Ari, who had been asked to step aside due to controversies that trailed his conduct in the March 15 substantive poll, suddenly turned up at the collation centre on Sunday morning at around 9am to announce APC’s Aishatu Ahmed as winner

The INEC returning officer for the election is Prof Mohammed Mele who was in charge of the process of collation at the conclusion of the supplementary election on Saturday, along with two supervising INEC National Commissioners

Results from supplementary elections from polling units in 10 local government areas were announced until the exercise was adjourned at around 1am on Sunday to resume again by 11am

However, by the time journalists arrived the state collation centre, they were informed that the REC had come in around 9am to announce a winner, amid protests by party agents who challenged the powers of the REC to usurp the position of the returning officer

As at the time of filing this report, the returning officer Prof. Mohammed Mele and the two supervising National Commissioners are yet to arrive and could not be reached

Security has been beefed up as tension is high already in the area