INEC fixes Thursday for Adamawa supplementary poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Thursday for the governorship supplementary poll in Adamawa state.

Kassim Gaidam, resident electoral commissioner (REC) in the state, made the disclosure at the commission’s office in Yola, the state capital, on Tuesday.

He said sequel to the high court ruling which vacated the restraining order halting the INEC from conducting the supplementary poll, the commission consulted security agencies before selecting March 28 for the exercise.

The court had previously restrained the commission from conducting the exercise based on a suit filed by Mustafa Shaba, governorship candidate of the Movement For Restoration and Defense for Democracy (MRDD).

Shaba had sued the commission over the absence of his party’s logo on the electoral materials for the March 9, that was declared inconclusive.

INEC had declared the March 9 election in Adamawa inconclusive after collating results from all the 21 local government areas of the state.

Among the six states where election was declared inconclusive, Adamawa was the only state where INEC did not conduct governorship supplementary election on Saturday.

Ahmadu Fintiri, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was ahead of Jibrilla Bindow, incumbent governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the election.

Andrew Haruna, the state returning officer, had said the margin of votes between Fintiri and Jibrilla, was lesser than total votes voided in about 40 polling units.

Haruna said 40,988 votes that were cancelled in 44 polling units across the state. The margin between the two parties was 32,476.