The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the recently held governorship election in Adamawa State as inconclusive.
The decision has left many Nigerians wondering about the reasons behind it.
INEC’s decision was based on the fact that elections were not held in 47 wards, affecting 69 polling units. This impacted a significant number of voters, with 31,249 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected in the affected areas.
Despite this, 37,016 votes were recorded, which was not enough to bridge the gap between the leading candidates.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, was leading with 421,524 votes, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani, scored 390,275 votes.
However, the margin between the leading candidates was less than the total number of registered voters in the polling units where elections were not held or were cancelled due to violence or other irregularities.
Inconclusive elections are not uncommon in Nigeria, and INEC’s decision was made in line with the electoral laws of the country. The laws are designed to ensure that elections are free, fair, and credible.