Together with the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Nigeria Police Force has pledged to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident related to the ongoing supplementary election in Adamawa.
Following the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari’s declaration of the All Progressives Congress gubernatorial candidate, Aisha Dahiru, also known as Binani, as the winner of the election last Saturday, INEC suspended the collation of the results.
The suspended REC for Adamawa state, Yunusa-Ari, was declared the winner of the state governorship election illegally, and the electoral umpire on Tuesday stated it had decided to write the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, requesting an investigation and prosecution.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated on Tuesday that the police had not yet received the letter from INEC but that they will work with the electoral umpire to look into the situation.
He added that the IGP had directed that the Commissioner of Police in charge of Gombe State, Etim Equa, immediately travel to Adamawa State for election security of the hotly contested election, and that Commissioner of Police on election duty in Adamawa State, Mohammed Barde, be immediately transferred from the state.
Adejobi said, “We have not received any letter, but we will carry out a thorough investigation on the Adamawa incident in collaboration with the INEC. So, if INEC sends in any letter, we will treat it as recommended as well.
“Also, the IGP has ordered the redeployment of the CP-election, Adamawa, and replaced him with CP Gombe, Etim Oqua, who has been directed to proceed to Yola immediately for the conclusion of the guber election process in Adamawa.
“We are committed to having a more secure and successful process in Adamawa.”
Meanwhile, INEC on Tuesday reconvened and resumed the collation of results for Saturday’s Adamawa supplementary governorship election, with its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye present at the collation centre.
