INEC Chair under pressure to declare Fintiri winner of Adamawa guber re-run, Group alleges

As the re-run of the Adamawa State governorship commences, a Civil Society Organisation, Centre For Civil Rights and Social Justice (CCRSJ) on Saturday alleged the incumbent governor and other top party officials are mounting pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to compromise on the outcome of the election.

The CSO in a terse statement signed by executive director, Peter Ebam and made available to POLITICS NIGERIA urged the INEC Chair to resist any temptation of compromising on the outcome of the election so as to redeem his image.

According to the group, the incumbent governor is mounting pressure on INEC to cancel the list of ad-hoc staff trained by the commission to be replaced by his cronies to do his bidding.

“Credible information available to us suggests that Gov Fintiri is mounting pressure on INEC chair who sits in Abuja to cancel nominations of adhoc staff done by REC. We know that it is the duty of REC to appoint and train such adhoc staff and he has done so. But pressure is being mounted on the INEC chair to interfer. Prof Yakubu Mahmood should realised that he cannot be chair and Resident Electoral Commissioner for a state at the same time and not yield to this plot”, the statement warned.

It further alleged that Governor Fintiri had bought over the returning officer in the state, the Vice Chancellor of Modibo University Yola who is desirous of taking over as governor from Fintiri if the plot succeeds after his second tenure.