Supreme Court Sets To Deliver Judgement On APC’s Appeal Against Gov Fintiri’s Election

Judges have arrived at the premise of the Supreme Court in Abuja in readiness to deliver judgment in the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Aishatu Dahiru Binani, against Governor Ahmadu Fintiri.

Naija News understands that Binani and her party are challenging the victory and declaration of Fintiri as the winner of the March 18 governorship election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Recall that the Supreme Court last week reserved its judgment on the appeal filed by Binani and APC.

The decision was made by a five-member panel led by Justice John Okoro after hearing arguments from the parties involved in the case.

Initially, on March 20, INEC declared the state governorship election inconclusive.

The returning officer, Mele Lamido, had noted that while Fintiri secured 421,524 votes, Binani polled 390,275 votes.

The margin between the two top candidates was smaller than the total number of potential voters – 37,016 – in 69 polling units where elections were cancelled, necessitating a supplementary election set for April 15.

Controversy erupted after the supplementary poll. Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the then-resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, who has since been suspended, declared Binani as the winner in the absence of the returning officer and before polls were concluded.

INEC, however, invalidated this announcement and continued with the collation of results.

The final tally showed Binani with 398,788 votes, while Fintiri emerged victorious with 430,861 votes.

Subsequent to these events, Yunusa-Ari was arrested and handed over to the police for prosecution.

There is, however, anxiety in Adamawa currently as the citizens and political stakeholders await the Supreme Court judgement today.