The Aishatu Binani’s twaddle, By Yemi Adebowale
It was repulsive watching the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Adamawa State, Aishatu ‘Binani’ Dahiru delivering an acceptance speech last Sunday after she was illegally declared the governor-elect of the state by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Ari.
She said her election as the first female governor in the country would encourage other women to participate actively in politics. “You’ve made history in electing the first female governor in our dear country, Nigeria. This will no doubt broaden political participation by encouraging our daughters, sisters, aunties, mothers and indeed the girl child,” Binani added in the 21 seconds clip.
What nonsense! It was extreme desperation by Binani. This is a woman I admire so much because of her guts and brilliance, but she left me dejected. So, why did Binani, a supposedly educated person, fall to this level? She simply allowed herself to be consumed by the lust for power. Of course, Binani knew that Ari had no power to declare a winner in the supplementary governorship election held last Saturday in Adamawa State; that responsibility solely lies with the state collation officer appointed by INEC. The law is very clear about this. The action of the REC was a clear usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer.
I guess when it became obvious that Binani could no longer upstage the incumbent governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of the PDP, who was leading with over 30,000 votes obtained at the substantive election on 18 March, Binani decided on that fraudulent option. She got the Adamawa REC and top security men on the same boat. Binani must have promised huge rewards. It is so depressing that top officers like the REC and some security chiefs mortgaged their revered offices for financial rewards.
Binani headed to an Abuja court last Tuesday, still hoping to legalise her fake result. She presented an ex-parte application asking the court to determine whether the INEC can take any further steps on the declared governorship election results made by the disgraced Adamawa REC.
Justice Inyang Ekwo did not allow her dubious plan to materialise. He asked Binani’s lawyer to first address his court it had jurisdiction to entertain such a matter. The judge subsequently asked the lawyer to file his address on the issue and fixed April 26 for a hearing of the ex parte application and the motion on the jurisdiction of the court. This case is now an academic exercise since INEC has concluded the collation of the Adamawa governorship polls and Fintiri announced as the winner.
Considering all the deadly and illegal moves by Binani, it becomes so difficult to reconcile all of them with her statement last Wednesday, after she had lost everything, including respect, that she remains a democrat.
She remarked: “I never did, I would never do such. I wish to reiterate that I am a democrat. I have always been a committed democrat and will never do anything to subvert the democratic process. I am not a do-or-die politician. In the past, I have won elections into the house of representatives and the senate in a free and fair manner.”
My dear Binani, there is no point crying. You messed up big time. You have disappointed so many people that hitherto respected you. Binani, initiating and carrying out illegalities? A big dishonor. Most Nigerian politicians care less about dignity. What a country!
Source: First published in Thisday Newspaper
