The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has affirmed Ahmadu Fintiri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as Governor of Adamawa State after dismissing the appeal of Aishatu Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for lacking merit.
In the judgment prepared by Justice Tunde Awotoye and read by Justice Ebiowei Tobi on Monday, the Appellate Court also awarded the cost of N500,000 in favour of Fintiri and the PDP against Binani.
The Appellate Court frowned at the premature announcement of the election outcome by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Hudu Ari, adding that Binani’s appeal was plagued by several demons.
The Court stressed in strong terms that the action of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in announcing Binani as the winner was illegal and an action outside of that prescribed by law as only the Returning Officer has such power.
This judgment affirmed the decision of the Tribunal on October 28 which dismissed the petition of Binani for failing to prove her allegations of over-voting by not tendering documents to prove her case faulting the outcome of the election.
