Security operatives on Saturday barred journalists from covering the collation of results in the supplementary governorship election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in Adamawa state.
The Adamawa governorship election is keenly contested between the incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Aisha Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Journalists who arrived at the collation centre at 3:00 p.m. to monitor and report the procedure were turned away by security guards on duty.
“This order is from above that we should not allow journalists inside the collation centre for the time being,” a police officer stated emphatically to reporters.
Meanwhile, local government collation officers who were supposed to be in their respective local government areas collating results from various wards were kept inside the state collation centre.
Furthermore, Aliyu Idi Hong, the agent for the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, claimed that INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa, was rushing to shift the state collation centre to an undisclosed site.
Requests for the REC and Yunusa to comment on the claims were not returned.
Chronicle NG reports that the gubernatorial elections in Adamawa on March 15, 2023, was deemed inconclusive by INEC hence the rerun polls conducted April 15.
