The governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Adamawa, Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, has denied giving a sum of N2 billion as bribe to an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to be declared winner.
Recall that the Adamawa governorship supplementary election was conducted on Saturday following the declaration of the March 18 poll as inconclusive over alleged irregularities.
But, the collation of election results was suspended till Sunday after results from 10 LGAs were announced.
In a dramatic twist, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) of the INEC, however, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, declared Binani as the winner while the results from the remaining LGAs had yet to be announced.
After her declaration, there were reports that Binani allegedly gave INEC officials N2 billion to be announced as the winner of the election.
INEC subsequently discontinued the exercise and described his action as null and void, adding that the declaration of a winner is the responsibility of the returning officer.
The Commission, on Tuesday, reconvened the collation of election results in the state, and declared Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the rightful winner.
But, in a statement issued on Tuesday, Binani denied giving the sum of N2 billion to “procure a favourable declaration as governor-elect to some unnamed INEC staff”.
According to Binani, the report is “very bizarre, unfounded and wild allegations”.
The statement reads, “I never did, I would never do such.
“I wish to reiterate that I am a democrat. I have always been a committed democrat and will never do anything to subvert the 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 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.
“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.”
Binani thanked her supporters for their “unflinching support in the midst of half-truths and opposition smear propaganda.”
