- Fintiri gets Certificate of Return
The President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has urged the Nigeria Police Force to fully investigate what transpired during the Adamawa State supplementary governorship election.
This is as he also called on all elected officials during the 2023 elections to brace themselves for the task ahead and prepare to serve the Nigerian people.
In a statement he personally signed on Wednesday, the President-elect urged the elected officials to rededicate themselves to selfless service.
He said, “With the conclusion of the 2023 elections, I now welcome all of us who have been elected to brace up to serve our people with diligence and dedication and to join hands with me as your President-elect in the pursuit of our agenda to renew the hopes of our people in a better, stronger, more secure, economically vibrant and prosperous Nigeria.
“I congratulate the winners of the Supplementary Governorship elections held in Kebbi and Adamawa States on Saturday, April 15, 2023. I also rejoice with those elected into the Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly during the last round of elections in states where such took place. These victorious men and women have earned the trust of their people and I call on them to rededicate themselves to the service of their respective constituents.
“The supplementary polls have now brought the 2023 elections to a final, fitting conclusion. I observed, with satisfaction, the largely peaceful atmosphere that pervaded the supplementary election on Saturday. It was further testimony that our citizens have accepted democratic norms and have unalloyed faith in the electoral process.”
On Adamawa supplementary poll, Tinubu said, “I note the matter of Adamawa Supplementary Governorship Election and I urge police authorities to fully investigate all that transpired in the election given the attendant controversy.
“In every democratic contest there has to be one winner. I call on those aggrieved to pursue legitimate means of addressing their grievances.”
Meanwhile, the Governor-elect of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, and the deputy governor-elect, Kaletapwa Farauta, have received their Certificates of Return in Abuja.
The Independent National Electoral Commission presented the certificates to the newly re-elected governor and his new deputy around 5pm on Wednesday at its national headquarters.
The Returning Officer, Muhammed Melee, declared Fintiri of the People’s Democratic Party winner on Tuesday after polling 430,861 votes to defeat his major counterpart Aisha Binani of the All Progressives Congress who polled 398,788.
INEC reopened the collation centre for the supplementary election results on Tuesday.
The supplementary election held in the state on Saturday, April 15, after the election of March 18 was declared inconclusive by INEC, following certain irregularities.
The collation exercise in the state was stopped on Sunday after the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari declared Binani, the winner of the election, which led the commission on Monday to ask Yunusa-Ari to stay away from the office.
In his acceptance speech after being declared winner, the governor-elect said he was “humbled the most.”
While congratulating his co-contenders for their struggle in the governorship race, Fintiri condemned the action of Hudu who had earlier declared Binani as the winner of the election.
While saying the action of the REC “fell below expectation,” he thanked the people of Adamawa “for voting for continuity.”