[UPDATE] Adamawa governorship election: PDP urges REC to recuse himself

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Mr Hudu Arim the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa to recuse himself from conducting the April 15 re-run governorship election in the state.

The party made the call at a news conference addresses by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba in Abuja.

Ologunagba said that Ari’s continued stay in office in spite of the party’s outcry over his alleged complicity in the plot to manipulate the outcome of the state governorship election was unacceptable.

“In view of grave allegations and evidence of an audio tape already in the public domain, Ari should recuse himself immediately from superintending and/or conducting the re-run governorship election in Adamawa on April 15,” Ologunagba said.

He said that there was no justification for the continued stay of Ari as REC in the state in the face of the grave allegations except for sinister reasons.

“The PDP demands that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu immediately remove Ari as REC in Adamawa.

“On our part, the PDP restates that it is firmly on ground in the state.

“Our party and candidate, Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri are in clear lead and we are ready for the re-run election in the 69 Polling Units already announced by the INEC returning officer,” he said.

Ologunagba called on the people of Adamawa and PDP supporters to remain calm.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC fixed April 15 for the re-run election in Adamawa after declaring the governorship elections on March 18 inconclusive.

NAN reports that Ahmed Fintiri, the current governor of the state from the PDP had scored 421,524 votes against Aishatu Dahiru of the All Progressive People (APC) candidate with 390, 275.

But a conclusion could not be reached after disputes by both parties.

If Dahiru is declared winner she would be the first female elected governor in Nigeria.