Adamawa APC Governorship Candidate Has INEC At Her Beck And Call, Parties Allege

Four political parties in Adamawa State are accusing the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Aisha Dahiru Ahmed, of planning to rig the gubernatorial elections on Saturday. 

The four parties are the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), Action Alliance (AA) and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

This was revealed at a press conference in Yola, by the spokesman of the four political parties who is also the gubernatorial candidate of the SDP, Dr. Umar Ardo.

According to him, the Federal Government agencies in the state have compromised the electoral process to ensure the emergence of Sen. Aishatu Dahiru Binani as the next governor by all means.

He said: ” We address you this afternoon to speak about some serious issues regarding the forthcoming election on Saturday. Most of you are aware of the broadcast of president Muhammadu Buhari with regards to the candidacy of the APC governorship candidate Sen Aishatu Dahiru Binani. 

“The president called on the Adamawa people to elect her and emphasized that he as the president, the party and federal government are by her. We would have no problem with such a broadcast because the president is at liberty to support the candidate of his party, but the fallout of the broadcast is adversely affecting the credibility and the integrity of the election.

“The open support of the president has turned the candidate of APC in Adamawa State as far as this election is concerned into the lord of the manor. She seems to be the only candidate that all the federal agencies are leaning towards. We have seen the security agencies are at her beck and call, NBC and INEC officials are also at her beck and call.

“We have it for a fact that her meetings with these agencies virtually directing how they should conduct their affairs. We have on record four different meetings she held especially with INEC officials. Arising from these meetings from the sketchy reports we have, she seems to be directing the postings of election officers, presiding officers and others who are directly in control of the BVAS.”

According to the spokesman, if the candidate of a political party is given such access to the officials that conduct the election, then there is a huge compromise.

He alleged that six months after Sen Binani emerged as the candidate of APC, she was awarded a contract for the production of the governorship results sheet. The contract is to the tune of N432m. 

“Even though Adamawa is not included in the list of the states, the fact that she is producing results sheets gives her inside and access into the workings of INEC and into the production and distribution of INEC sensitive materials.

“This is a huge advantage given to her by INEC itself. The money given to her will give her a huge financial advantage over other candidates, and she was given the contract six months after emerging as a candidate of the APC,” he said. 

Ardo also accused Binani of openly vowing to steal the election since she has the backing of the law courts. 

He also accused her of bragging that she single handedly brought the new REC of Adamawa to do her bidding during the election.

“She is going around saying that she brought the REC through the minister of education. And she is bragging saying that even by stealing she will win the election we have the video clips. She stated that what she wants is for INEC to declare her the winner and she will handle the rest. APC governorship candidate is being backed by the president security, INEC and NBC.

“In one fell swoop, she distributed 90 vehicles worth over a billion naira. Which contravenes the electoral act which put the limit of expenditure for governorship to a billion naira. We need to put a stop to this kind of politics or Adamawa State will find itself in a logjam. 

“INEC has credibility issues arising from the presidential election. We hope it will use the opportunity of this governorship and state assembly election to rectify her poor image. But we are going from frying pan to fire,” he said.