2023 Adamawa State gubernatorial election

2023 Adamawa State gubernatorial election
← 2019 18 March 2023 2027 →
Registered2,196,566
Turnout39.90%[a]
 
Nominee Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed
Party PDP APC
Running mate Kaletapwa Farauta Titsi Ganama
Popular vote 430,861 398,788
Percentage 50.46% 46.71%
LGA results
Fintiri:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Ahmed:      50–60%      60–70%
Governor before election

Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri
PDP

Elected Governor

Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri
PDP

The 2023 Adamawa State gubernatorial election took place on 18 March 2023, to elect the Governor of Adamawa State, concurrent with elections to the Adamawa State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly.[1][2] The election — which was postponed from its original 11 March date — was held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections.[3] Incumbent Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (PDP) was re-elected by a 3.75% margin over first runner-up and APC nominee — Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed.[4]

The primaries, scheduled for between 4 April and 9 June 2022, resulted in Fintiri winning the Peoples Democratic Party primary unopposed on 26 May while the All Progressives Congress nominated Senator for Adamawa Central Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed on 25 May.[5][6] Although a Federal High Court ruling nullified the APC primary on 14 October, an Appeal Court judgment overturned the nullification and reinstated Ahmed on 24 November.[7][8]

The conduct of the general election was highly controversial with INEC failing to declare the results by 20 March due to delays in counting due to logistical problems and attempted electoral interference. Later on 20 March, INEC declared the election inconclusive; Fintiri and the PDP rejected the declaration, having already alleged a plot to rig the election in favour of Ahmed.[9][10][11] The commission set the supplementary election on 15 April, along with other supplementary elections nationwide.[12]

As collation was still in progress on the early morning of 16 April, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner Hudu Ari declared Ahmed as the victor; the declaration led to immediate protest as the Resident Electoral Commissioner does not have the power to declare a winner, collation was incomplete, and Ari refused to give any data on the purported results.[13] In response, the national INEC called Ari's declaration "null, void and of no effect" before summoning him to the INEC headquarters in Abuja and barring him from office.[14][15] On 17 April, returning officer Mohammed Mele declared the genuine results: in total, Fintiri obtained nearly 431,000 votes and 50% of the vote as runner-up Ahmed received almost 399,000 votes and 47% of the vote.[4] The controversial and prolonged election process drew public outrage with critics calling the process a "new low" and "dance of shame" for INEC amid various other electoral controversies.[16] Journalists noted potential credibility issues Fintiri could face due to the declaration scandal.[17]


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  1. ^ Oyekanmi, Rotimi (26 February 2022). "It's Official: 2023 Presidential, National Assembly Elections to Hold Feb 25". INEC News. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  2. ^ Jimoh, Abbas (26 February 2022). "INEC Sets New Dates For 2023 General Elections". Daily Trust. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  3. ^ Suleiman, Qosim. "It's Official: INEC postpones Saturday's governorship, state assembly elections". Premium Times. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  4. ^ a b Ogundapo, Abdulqudus. "UPDATED: INEC declares PDP's Fintiri winner of Adamawa governorship election". Premium Times. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference APC primary results was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Gov. Fintiri emerges as PDP's governorship candidate in Adamawa". Premium Times. News Agency of Nigeria. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  7. ^ Maishanu, Abubakar Ahmadu. "Court nullifies APC governorship primary election in Adamawa". Premium Times. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  8. ^ Livinus, Hindi. "Court reinstates Binani as Adamawa APC gov candidate". The Punch. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  9. ^ Akpan, Samuel. "There's a plot to alter Adamawa guber results in favour of APC, PDP alleges". TheCable. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  10. ^ Yekeen, Akinwale. "INEC declares Adamawa governorship election inconclusive". TheCable. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  11. ^ Anichukwueze, Donatus. "INEC Official Was Misled To Declare Adamawa Election Inconclusive — Fintiri". Channels TV. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  12. ^ Okocha, Chuks; Akinwale, Adedayo. "INEC Announces Supplementary Elections will Hold April 15". ThisDay. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  13. ^ Okafor, Chiamaka. "Adamawa Governorship: Controversy as 'wrong' INEC official declares Binani winner". Premium Times. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  14. ^ Okafor, Chiamaka; Suleiman, Qosim. "UPDATED: INEC HQ rejects declaration of Binani as winner of Adamawa governorship election". Premium Times. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  15. ^ Suleiman, Qosim. "Supplementary Polls: INEC bars Adamawa REC from office". Premium Times. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  16. ^ Okocha, Chuks; Nwezeh, Kingsley; Akinwale, Adedayo; James, Segun; Sani, Daji. "In New Low, Adamawa REC Announces Fake Election Result". ThisDay. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  17. ^ Eniola Akinkuotu [@ENIBOY] (April 18, 2023). "That Adamawa REC has seriously undermined INEC's credibility. Whoever is eventually announced as winner of the election will struggle with legitimacy. This is the reason everyone was insisting that partisan people shouldn't be appointed REC but govt &Senate ignored all entreaties" (Tweet) – via Twitter.