The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Hudu Ari, has declared Aisha Dahiru, popularly called Binani, as the winner of the governorship election in the state.

Mr Ari made the declaration Sunday morning amidst chaos at the collation centre in Yola, the state capital, Daily Trust reports.

A video of Mr Ari announcing Binani the winner has since gone viral.

However, according to the electoral law, the announcement should have been made by the returning officer of the election, who is a different person, usually an academic appointed by INEC for that purpose.

“We’ve received reports of an illegal declaration of results by the @inecnigeria REC for #Adamawa in violation of S 64 & 65 Electoral Act 2022 & Part 3, INEC guidelines which vests the power to declare results solely on a Returning officer appointed by INEC,” prominent election observation group, Yiaga Africa, wrote on Twitter.

“We call on @inecnigeria to nullify the illegal declaration, suspend the REC for Adamawa state and take urgent actions to protect the integrity of the process.”

Mr Ari had earlier adjourned the collation to 11 a.m. Sunday but announced the winner an hour before the scheduled time.

As of 1 a.m., before the adjournment, only results of relevant polling units in 10 out of 20 local governments had been announced with the PDP candidate, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, still in the lead, Daily Trust reported.

In a statement on Sunday, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye said the “action of the Resident Electoral Commission is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer.”

2. The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer. It is null, void and of no effect.
Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended.

— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) April 16, 2023