The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa State, Mr. Hudu Arim, to step down from overseeing the April 15 re‑run governorship election. The demand was made at a news conference in Abuja by PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba.
Ologunagba said that Arim’s continued presence in office, despite the party’s accusations of his involvement in a scheme to manipulate the state’s governorship election, is unacceptable. Citing “grave allegations and evidence of an audio tape already in the public domain,” he urged that Arim recuse himself immediately from supervising the re‑run election. He added that there is no legitimate reason for Arim to remain REC in Adamawa other than “sinister” motives and demanded that INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu remove him at once.
The PDP reiterated that it remains firmly grounded in the state and that its candidate, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, leads clearly. The party said it is prepared for the re‑run in the 69 polling units already announced by the INEC Returning Officer. Ologunagba also appealed to the people of Adamawa and PDP supporters to stay calm.
INEC scheduled the re‑run for April 15 after declaring the March 18 governorship election inconclusive. In that contest, incumbent PDP Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri received 421,524 votes, while All Progressives Congress candidate Aishatu Dahiru garnered 390,275. The result remained disputed by both parties, and a declaration in Dahiru’s favor would have made her the first female governor in Nigeria.
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