Nigeria – APC Denounces Governor Fintiri’s Illegal Election Announcement As Finitri Describes Election As ‘Shameful

By Utebor Paul, Nigeria

The All-Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the Governor of Adamawa state, Umaru Fintiri’s recent press conference, where he unlawfully declared the results of the Edo State gubernatorial election held on September 21, 2024.

The party labelled the announcement a blatant breach of electoral law and an attempt to destabilize the democratic process.

In a statement released yesterday by APC national publicity secretary, Felix Morka, the APC described Fintiri’s actions as “utter desperation and mindless impunity.”

The party emphasized that Fintiri lacks the legal authority to collate or announce election results, a power reserved solely for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the Electoral Act of 2022.

“This unprecedented illegality is aimed at inciting unrest in Edo State, disrupting the peaceful conclusion of the election process, and undermining INEC’s lawful authority,” the statement partly read.

The party urged law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant during this critical period to maintain peace and security.

The statement also referenced a concerning incident involving Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, who allegedly led a disruptive invasion of INEC’s offices in Benin City.

This incident followed protests from party leaders and resulted in Obaseki retreating under public pressure.

The APC expressed disappointment in Fintiri, suggesting that, as a beneficiary of the electoral process, he is recklessly undermining the very system that elevated him to power.

“By seeking to usurp the statutory power of INEC, Governor Fintiri has engaged in an unmistakable and egregious violation of the law,” the statement declared.

The party categorically dismissed the results announced by Fintiri as “bogus, fake, and contrived by devious imagination,” urging the Edo electorate and the general public to disregard the unlawful declaration.

The APC therefore reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the rule of law, while calling on all stakeholders to respect the electoral process, urging a collective effort to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy.

The Edo state governorship election was conducted over the weekend with INEC announcing Monday Ompebholo of APC as the winner of the governorship election.

Meanwhile reacting to INEC’s announcement of the Edo State governorship election, Finitri in a statement yesterday described the election as shameful.

“I weep for Nigeria’s democracy after witnessing the shameful Edo Gubernatorial poll. The APC’s desperate attempts to discredit me by falsely claiming I announced results won’t distract from the real issue. I merely shared results from INEC’s Irev portal, as collated by INEC from the various Local Government Areas,” Fintiri said.

He criticized the actions of the APC’s national chairman for flying into Edo on election day, violating movement restrictions, while APC Governors used armored escorts to intimidate voters.

He further accused the APC of undermining democratic norms, alleging vote-buying, disruptions during collation, and suspicious results with more votes than accredited voters.

“What’s truly shameful is APC’s national chairman flying into Edo with a private jet on election day, defying movement restrictions, while their Governors used armoured escorts to intimidate voters.

“This blatant disregard for democratic norms is the real brigandage. Nigerians are outraged, slamming INEC for compromising and favoring APC. The reported vote-buying, disruption of collation processes, and suspicious results with more votes than accredited voters undermine trust in our democracy. Democracy indeed is under attack.

“We must condemn this rape of democracy and demand accountability. The world is watching, and Nigeria deserves better.” he stated