The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Adamawa state, Senator Aishat Dahiru Ahmed popularly known as Binani has refuted the claim that she offered 2 billion bribe to the disgraced Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Barrister Yunusa Adi.
The REC had on Sunday morning thrown the state into confusion when he declared the APC’s candidate the winner of the governorship election while the collation were still ongoing.
WesternLifeNews had reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission immediately countered the announcement and ordered the REC and the returning officer to appear in the commission headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
The REC was later barred from accessing his office until further notice.
Binani in a said the allegation was made when an operative of the Directorate of State Security was being tortured at gunpoint by the agents of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and the Government House police team alongside their political thugs.
Read the full statement below:
My attention has been drawn to a very bizarre, unfounded wild allegations purportedly made by an officer of the Department of State Services to the effect that, I Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani) gave out the sum of N2 billion to procure a favourable declaration as Governor-Elect to some unnamed INEC staff. I NEVER DID, I would never do such.
This said statement was allegedly made when the officer was being tortured at gunpoint by the agents of the Adamawa State Governor and the Government House police team alongside their political thugs.
I wish to reiterate that I am a democrat, I have always been a committed democrat and will never do anything to subvert democratic process.
I am not do-or-die politician. In the past, I have won elections into the House of Representatives and the Senate in a free and fair manner.
What happened in Adamawa was an unsuccessful attempt to subvert the will of the people.
The REC was illegally told to stand down by two INEC national commissioners from Abuja who were supposed to be in Adamawa in a supervisory capacity.
Even more curious is the nocturnal visit of some INEC national officers to Adamawa State Government House and bizarre declaration same day after the visit that they have taken over the collation through the backdoor, with the Collation and Returning Officers selected by the Governor of Adamawa.
The roles of these INEC officers from Abuja and the real mission of the two to the Government House should be of interest to all democrats.
I urge all lovers of democracy to take a deeper interest in our electoral process and democracy not only in Adamawa but in the whole country.
Meanwhile, to all my supporters both within and outside Adamawa, I wish to use this opportunity to thank you for your unflinching support, in the midst of half-truths and opposition smear propaganda.
Thank you.
