*Returning officer insists on doing right thing
With collation of results currently underway in Adamawa State and results from Fufore Local Government Area being the only pending tabulation to conclude the process, it has been uncovered that INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Barrister Hudu Yunusa is mounting pressure on the returning officer for Fufore to tamper with the results.
An audio clip that was obtained reveals a conversation between Yunusa and pressuring the INEC returning officer for Fufore to do all within his means to deliver Aishatu Dahiru popularly known as Binani (the APC governorship candidate in Adamawa State).
“I have received phone calls from the highest authority for you to do everything possible to return Adamawa in favour of the woman (Binani),” Yunusa was heard telling the Returning Officer.
According to what was revealed in the audio clip, the Returning Officer, however, insists on announcing the results untampered because that was the right thing to do and also for his own safety.
“They’re (agents of the opposition parties) are insisting that we should not go to Yola. That we must do everything here in Fufore. That was why I sent Zakari to come and meet you so that you will give us form so that we can do it here (in Fufore)…We are now in thr police station,” the Returning Officer told the Adamawa REC.
Thank you, Sir.
Already, the incumbent and PDP candidate in the election, Ahmadu Fintiri is in the lead with results already released from other local government areas in the state.
Although the election is a neck to neck contest between Fintiri and his main challenger in the APC, Binani, the PDP is confident that based on the returns from their agents the PDP candidate is leading in the controversial Furore local government.
It is not immediately clear what is keeping the INEC from announcing the outstanding result from Furore.
The fear of many, however, is that the delay may be deliberate in order to buy time for manipulation of the results.
It will be recalled that there is an ongoing controversy on the INEC issuing contracts for the printing of sensitive election materials in the 2023 general election to a company owned by Senator Binani.