PRESS STATEMENT
The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to a press conference addressed by a cohort of Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by His Excellency, Umaru Fintiri, Governor of Adamawa State, today Sunday, September 22, 2024.
In a display of utter desperation and mindless impunity, Governor Fintiri announced what he described as “results of the Edo State Gubernatorial Election” held yesterday, Saturday, September 21, 2024.
We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, this act of executive brigandage and contempt for the rule of law and democratic norms. Governor Fintiri has no authority to collate or announce result of any election.
This unprecedented illegality is calculated to cause unrest in Edo State, disrupt the peaceful conclusion of the election process and undermine the lawful authority of INEC. We urge our law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant in order to maintain peace and security in the state.
Fintiri’s bizarre action follows Governor Godwin Obaseki’s own disruptive overnight invasion of INEC’s premises in Benin City until he eventually withdrew in the early hours of Sunday, following protests by APC leaders.
The power and duty to conduct, collate and announce the result of the election is exclusively vested in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by law.
By seeking to usurp the statutory power of INEC, Governor Fintiri engaged in unmistakable and egregious violation of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It is a thing of disappointment that Governor Fintiri, a beneficiary of the electoral process, would so recklessly disregard the same process that brought him to office as Governor, in a desperate move to mislead, and achieve a partisan political advantage.
To be clear, the purported election results announced by Fintiri is bogus, fake and contrived by devious imagination.
We urge members of the Edo electorate and the general public to disregard Fintiri’s unlawful and unauthorized announcement of election results.
SIGNED:
*Felix Morka, Esq.*
National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)
