The All Progressives Congress, APC, has condemned the recent announcement made by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, labelling it as an “illegal and irresponsible” declaration regarding the outcome of the Edo State gubernatorial election.
In a strongly worded statement signed by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party described Fintiri’s action as an attempt to subvert due process and undermine the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The APC insists that INEC is the only constitutionally recognized body authorized to announce election results and that any interference from political actors threatens the credibility of the electoral process.
The statement reads:
“The attention of the All Progressives Congress has been drawn to a press conference addressed by a cohort of Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by His Excellency, Umaru Fintiri, Governor of Adamawa State, today Sunday, September 22, 2024.
“In a display of utter desperation and mindless impunity, Governor Fintiri announced what he described as “results of the Edo State Gubernatorial Election” held yesterday, Saturday, September 21, 2024.
“We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, this act of executive brigandage and contempt for the rule of law and democratic norms. Governor Fintiri has no authority to collate or announce result of any election.
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“This unprecedented illegality is calculated to cause unrest in Edo State, disrupt the peaceful conclusion of the election process and undermine the lawful authority of INEC. We urge our law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant in order to maintain peace and security in the state.
“Fintiri’s bizarre action follows Governor Godwin Obaseki’s own disruptive overnight invasion of INEC’s premises in Benin City until he eventually withdrew in the early hours of Sunday, following protests by APC leaders.
“The power and duty to conduct, collate and announce the result of the election is exclusively vested in the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by law.
“By seeking to usurp the statutory power of INEC, Governor Fintiri engaged in unmistakable and egregious violation of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It is a thing of disappointment that Governor Fintiri, a beneficiary of the electoral process, would so recklessly disregard the same process that brought him to office as Governor, in a desperate move to mislead, and achieve a partisan political advantage.”
The party, while urging the Edo State electorate to disregard Fintiri’s announcement, added that ” the purported election results announced by Fintiri is bogus, fake and contrived by devious imagination.”
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