Binani: APC Vows To Protect ‘Victory’, Urges INEC To Allow Legal Process

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has vowed to resist any attempt to upturn the electoral victory of its gubernatorial candidate, Aishatu Dahiru Binani, who was declared winner of Saturday, April 15th supplementary elections as announced by the State’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barrister Hudu Yunusa.
The party at a press conference held at its state headquarters in Yola bemoaned the negative propaganda spread on the media by agents of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state inorder to discredit the process that produced Aishatu, a serving Senator, as the winner of the keenly contested election.
Expressing its concern, the Party’s State Acting Chairman,Elder Samaila Tadawus said that the party will explore all legal means possible to protect the mandate of Aishatu, noting that she is already the state Governor-elect.
The party absolved its candidate from media reports that she attempted to manipulate the process through financial inducements, saying their candidate remains the most popular amongst others as there was no need for her to thwart the process.
The statement read in part:
“We are concerned with the negative propaganda by the losers of this election. Some of them are: That the REC was bribed to make the declaration. This is a blatant lie. Our candidate was popular and did not require the manipulation of the process to win the election.
Those who needed to manipulate the process are the ones who wanted the REC to be illegally suspended by two National Commissioners on an observer duty.
“We are also aware that the molestation of the National Commissioners was done by Agents of the State Government. Hired thugs were used to molest one of them to the point that he was stripped half naked. Shamelessly, one of the Agents of the state Government was seen apologizing to the affected person and claiming that they molested him thinking he was the REC.
“We condemn the weaponization of violence by the opposition. This is seen by their so-called daily protest which is a harbinger for violence. We call on security Agencies to as a matter of urgency stop these misguided agitators who are bent on throwing the state into chaos.
“We wish to also express sincere appreciation to the people of the state for shunning their call for violence. We in the APC are peaceful and peace loving. We will continue to promote peace in the state because we believe that nothing can be achieved without peace.
“Let me state clearly that the APC and all our members in Adamawa state are solidly behind our Governor-elect and wish to announce that we will protect our mandate by all legal means.
“Finally, we call on INEC to abide by the legal requirements that provide for only the Tribunal or the courts to upturn a valid and lawful declaration.
“The REC has absolute responsibility for state elections The returning officers for Governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections report to him. Arguing that the REC cannot do what he did in the circumstances he found himself is a losing argument.”
The supplementary poll which saw the pronouncement of Binani as Governor elect was held to conclude the March 18 governorship elections.