Binani Accuses DSS Official Of Peddling N2Billion Bribery Allegations Against Her, Denies Bribing Adamawa REC

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed 'Binani', in the just concluded supplementary governorship election in Adamawa State, on Tuesday, accused an operative of the Department of State Security Service, DSS, of peddling the allegations.

Apr 19, 2023 - 13:06

Apr 19, 2023 - 13:12

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Binani Accuses DSS Official Of Peddling N2Billion Bribery Allegations Against Her, Denies Bribing Adamawa REC

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed 'Binani', in the just concluded supplementary governorship election in Adamawa State, on Tuesday, accused an operative of the Department of State Security Service, DSS, of peddling the allegations.

She also denied bribing any official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Recall that the INEC leadership had on March 18 polls, declared the election inconclusive over alleged irregularities, and called for supplementary election, which was conducted on Saturday, April 17.

The collation of election results was suspended till Sunday after results from 10 LGAs were announced.

But in a dramatic twist, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Commission (INEC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, illegally declared Binani as the winner, when the results from the remaining LGAs had not been announced.

After her declaration, there were allegations of bribe levelled against the APC candidate, adding that she offered N2 billion to the INEC officials, for them to

announced her the winner of the election.

INEC, irked by the unprofessional conduct of the REC, suspended collation of results and declared the purported victory of Binani as null and void, adding that the declaration of a winner is the responsibility of the returning officer.

On Tuesday, INEC concluded the collation of election results in the state, and declared Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the winner of the controversial and disputed election.

Speaking on the alleged bribery, Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani), denied giving a N2 billion bribe to controversial Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari.

According to her, an operative of the Department of State Service (DSS), agents of the state government and the police in the government house are behind the allegations against her.

She stressed that she remains a democrat that would never do anything to avert a democratic process.

In her statement on Tuesday, stated that she won her House of Representatives and Senate seat via a free and fair election.

Her statement reads:

“My attention has been drawn to a very bizarre, unfounded wild allegations purportedly made by an officer of the Department of State Services to the effort that, I senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed ( Binani), gave out the sum of N2billion to procure a favourable declaration as governor -elect to some unnamed INEC staff. I never did; I would never do such.

“This statement was allegedly made when the officer was being tortured at gunpoint by the agents of the Adamawa State governor and the Government House police team alongside their political thugs

“ I wish to reiterate that I am a democrat. I have always been a committed democrat and will never do anything to subvert democratic process. I am not do-or-die politician.

“In the past, I have won elections into the House of Representatives and the Senate in free and fair manner. What happened in Adamawa was an unsuccessful attempt to subvert the will of the people. The REC was illegally told to stand down by two INEC national commissioners from Abuja who were supposed to be in Adamawa in a supervisory capacity.

“ Even more curious is the nocturnal visit of some INEC national officers to Adamawa State Government House and bizarre declaration same day after the visit that they have taken over the collation through the backdoor, with collation and returning officers selected by the governor of Adamawa.

“The roles of these INEC officers from Abuja and the real mission of the two to the Government house should be of interest to all democrats.”

Binani, who thanked her supporters, urged all lovers of democracy to take deeper interest in the just-concluded Adamawa poll.

” I urge all lovers of democracy to take a deeper interest in our electoral process and democracy, not only in Adamawa, but in the whole country.

“Meanwhile, to all my supporters both within and outside Adamawa, I wish to use this opportunity to thank you for your unflinching support, in the midst of half-truths and opposition smear propaganda.”