The Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, has expressed strong disapproval of the Edo State governorship election results, stating that he mourns for Nigeria’s democracy.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Sunday that Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the September 21 election.
In a statement, Fintiri described the election as shameful and condemned APC national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje for arriving in Edo State on a private jet, violating police-imposed movement restrictions, which he called a blatant disregard for democratic principles.
He pointed out issues such as vote-buying, disruptions in the collation process, and questionable results that showed more votes than accredited voters, which he said eroded public trust in democracy. He emphasized that democracy is under threat.
Fintiri also noted that attempts by the APC to undermine him would not detract from the core issue, sharing results from INEC’s Irev portal as collected from local government areas.
“I mourn for Nigeria’s democracy after witnessing the disgraceful Edo gubernatorial election. The APC’s attempts to discredit me with false claims won’t distract from the real problems.
“What is truly shameful is the APC national chairman arriving in Edo by private jet on election day, ignoring movement restrictions, while their governors intimidated voters with armored escorts.
“This blatant disregard for democratic norms is the real issue. Nigerians are justifiably angry, criticizing INEC for its bias towards the APC.
“We must denounce this attack on democracy and demand accountability. The world is watching, and Nigeria deserves better,” Fintiri stated.