Edo Decides: PDP, APC Biker Over Election Result Disclosed By Adamawa Gov

… I Only Informed The Public On Exact Figure… Fintiri

… Gov Has No Authority To Collate, Announce Result – Morka

LAGOS – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have traded words over some of the results made public ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announcement of the result of the Edo State governorship election which took place on Saturday.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State who is national chairman of the PDP campaign council for the Edo State election had reeled out results of some polling units and local governments, stating that the results were those available in the public domain, and that he was not usurping the powers of the electoral umpire by his action.

“I didn’t announce the results. I only informed the public on the exact figure from our collation agents that was ongoing before INEC disrupted the process.

“INEC should be accused of violating the Electoral Act, not me”, Fintiri said.

Fintiri had complained that the collation process was violently interrupted in many local government areas across the state occasioned by INEC’s action.

Meanwhile, the APC had in a press statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, urged the public to disregard governor Fintiri’s announcement of Edo gubernatorial election result, describing it as illegal and irresponsible.

The press statement reads, “The attention of the APC has been drawn to a press conference addressed by a cohort of Governors elected on the platform of the PDP led by His Excellency, Umaru Fintiri, Governor of Adamawa State, today Sunday.

“In a display of utter desperation and mindless impunity, Governor Fintiri announced what he described as “results of the Edo State Gubernatorial Election” held yesterday, Saturday, September 21, 2024. 

“We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, this act of executive brigandage and contempt for the rule of law and democratic norms. Governor Fintiri has no authority to collate or announce result of any election. 

“This unprecedented illegality is calculated to cause unrest in Edo State, disrupt the peaceful conclusion of the election process and undermine the lawful authority of INEC. We urge our law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant in order to maintain peace and security in the state. 

“Fintiri’s bizarre action follows Governor Godwin Obaseki’s own disruptive overnight invasion of INEC’s premises in Benin City until he eventually withdrew in the early hours of Sunday, following protests by APC leaders. 

“The power and duty to conduct, collate and announce the result of  the election is exclusively vested in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by law. 

“By seeking to usurp the statutory power of INEC, Governor Fintiri engaged in unmistakable and egregious violation of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  

“It’s a thing of disappointment that Governor Fintiri, a beneficiary of the electoral process, would so recklessly disregard the same process that brought him to office as Governor, in a desperate move to mislead, and achieve a partisan political advantage. 

“To be clear, the purported election results announced by Fintiri is bogus, fake and contrived by devious imagination. 

“We urge members of the Edo electorate and the general public to disregard Fintiri’s unlawful and unauthorized announcement of election results,” Morka said.