The gubernatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State, Senator Aishatu ‘Binani’ Dalhatu, has denied bribing the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari, to declare her winner of the election.
After Saturday’s supplementary election held in the state, Ari controversially declared Binani as the governor-elect on Sunday.
However, the national leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voided the declaration shortly after, noting that the Adamawa REC usurped the power of the Returning Officer for the election.
The electoral commission also suspended collation of result and banned the REC from office.
However, hours after Ari’s declaration, a video emerged online showing the INEC REC confessing to receiving a N2bn bribe to announce Binani as the winner.
In a Tuesday statement, Binani denied giving anyone N2 billion to usurp the democratic process.
She accused an official of the Department of State Services (DSS) of making “very bizarre, unfounded wild allegations” against her.
According to her, the INEC REC’s supposed confessional statement was made under duress.
“I NEVER DID, I would never do such. This said the statement was allegedly made when the officer was being tortured at gunpoint by the agents of the Adamawa State Governor and the Government House police team alongside their political thugs.
“I wish to reiterate that I am a democrat, I have always been a committed democrat and will never do anything to subvert democratic process. I am not a do-or-die politician. In the past I have won elections into the House of Representatives and the Senate in a free and fair manner.
“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 Adamawa State Government house and 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.
“The roles of these INEC officers from Abuja and the real mission of the two to the Government House should be of interest to all democrats.
“I urge all lovers of democracy to take a deeper interest in our electoral process and democracy not only in Adamawa but in the whole country.
“Meanwhile to all my supporters both within and outside Adamawa, I wish to use this opportunity to thank you for your unflinching support, in the midst of half-truths and opposition smear propaganda,” Binani’s statement read.
Meanwhile, collation resumed on Tuesday and the Returning Officer, Muhammed Mele subsequently declared Governor Ahmadu Fintiri as the winner of the election.