Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has expressed deep concern over the outcome of the Edo governorship election, stating it reflects poorly on Nigeria’s democracy. Discover his full statement.
The Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, has voiced his profound dissatisfaction with the outcomes of the Edo State governorship election, indicating that he is greatly troubled by the current state of democracy in Nigeria.
His remarks followed the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious in the election held on September 21. In a statement issued on Sunday, Fintiri characterized the election as “disgraceful” and a regression for democracy in Nigeria.
Fintiri also expressed his disapproval of the national chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, for reportedly arriving in Edo State via a private jet during the election, in violation of movement restrictions set by the Nigeria Police. He characterized this action as a clear infringement of democratic principles.
Furthermore, he lamented the allegations of vote-buying, disturbances during the collation process, and the declaration of questionable results that indicated more votes than the number of accredited voters, all of which, he argued, eroded public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic framework. Fintiri underscored the precarious state of democracy in the nation.
READ ALSO: Obaseki Loses Local Govt to APC in Edo Election
In reaction to the APC’s assertions that he had prematurely declared election results, Fintiri refuted these claims, asserting that they were simply efforts to undermine his credibility. He clarified that he had disseminated results from INEC’s IReV portal, which accurately represented the official figures from Local Government Areas.
The APC’s unfounded attempts to damage my reputation by accusing me of announcing results will not divert attention from the core issue,” Fintiri stated.
The actions of the APC national chairman arriving in Edo on election day via private jet, in violation of movement restrictions, are indeed disgraceful. This behavior is compounded by the use of armored escorts by their governors to intimidate voters.
Fintiri further characterized the conduct of the APC as a “flagrant violation of democratic principles” and expressed his discontent with INEC for purportedly favoring the ruling party. He called upon Nigerians to denounce what he referred to as a “violation of democracy” and insisted on the necessity for accountability, emphasizing that the global community is observing and that Nigeria is entitled to better governance.
