Inconclusive Guber election: Adamawa REC assures free, fair supplementary exercise

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Samuel Luka, Bauchi

Weeks after having their Guber election declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the people of Adamawa state have been assured of free, fair and credible upcoming supplementary polls.

Barr. Hudu Haruna Ari who gave the assurance in an interview witg newsmen in his Bauchi residence early this week, said that Commission had to declare the March 18 Governorship election results inconclusive because of so many discrepancies that marred the exercise.

The REC while reiterating the Commission’s commitment towards conducting credible and acceptable election in the state, pointed out that he will always remain unbiased in the discharge of his constitutional responsibility.

“As REC, I don’t belong to any political party, I don’t have a soft spot for any of the candidates, they are all the same to me. I have no reason to be biased against any of the candidates or political party”, the REC stated.

Barr. Ari further explained that the Governorship election in Adamawa was declared inconclusive in line with the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act as amended, considering the circumstances surrounded the conduct of the elections at that time.

Barr. Ari who went further to stress that there were a lot of discrepancies in the results sheets from Fufore LGA, said figures of State Assembly result was mixed up in the governorship election result.

“There was no way we can declare such results. There were reports of ballot box snatching by unknown persons”, he said.

The REC added that there were three different results from different sources which could not be reconciled.

Barr. Hudu Haruna Aro who said as a result of threat to his life, he alongside other INEC officials had to pass the night at the Barracks to avoid been victimized.

“It was very unfortunate that things reached such a dimension. On the second day when we reconvened at about 3pm, the atmosphere was not conducive, we were rescued by military personnel”, he said.

Though 15th of April has been set by INEC headquarters to conclude all outstanding supplementary elections across the country,

On the next thing to do, the Adamawa INEC REC said he is waiting for further directives from the headquarters.

Hudu Haruna said it is now the responsibility of the Commission’s National Headquarters to decide on what to do finally.

He further assured that as the REC in Adamawa state, he is ready to do whatever the National Headquarters of the Commission directed him to do.