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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) assured on Saturday that it would conduct a credible supplementary governorship election in Adamawa that would be the pride of Nigerians and the international community.
INEC’s spokesperson, Festus Okoye, gave the assurance when some women staged a protest at the commission’s headquarters regarding the Adamawa election.
The protesters were led by the president of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Lami Lau.
INEC had earlier in the week declared the March 18 governorship election in Adamawa as inconclusive.
The final results tallied by INEC at the election showed that the Adamawa governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored the highest number of votes.
The commission, however, declared that the cancelled votes at the election were more than the margin of victory between Mr Fintiri and the runner-up, Aishatu Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It said a new date would be fixed for rerun elections in areas where the exercise did not hold on March 18.
Mr Okoye thanked the women for peacefully conducting themselves, noting that the commission belonged to all Nigerians.
“We regard our role in INEC as public trust; any individual, group or organisations with any grievance or complaint are free to come here and voice or ventilate their grievances,” he said.
He explained that the commission’s responsibility as an electoral body was to provide a platform for people of the state to exercise their franchise.
He added that though the commission provided the platform, the election was declared inconclusive.
“We will go back and give the state’s people the opportunity to have a conclusion relating to their governorship election.
“The commission will go back to Adamawa and conduct a supplementary election that Nigerians and the international community will be proud of,’’ Mr Okoye stressed.
The INEC commissioner noted that it had no political party and did not support any political candidate or individual.
In her remarks earlier, Ms Lau, leader of the protesters, commended INEC for upholding its integrity in Abia and Enugu states by ensuring that the right things were done.
“In this regard, Nigerian women are demanding the verification of Adamawa governorship election results like it was done in Abia and Enugu,’’ she said.
(NAN)
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