Seven things to know about Aishatu Binani

The 2023 general elections were held across the country in February and March with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announcing various winners of the various contested positions. But in Adamawa and a few other states, the electoral body declared the exercise inconclusive. The final results collated by INEC in Adamawa showed that the incumbent […]

The 2023 general elections were held across the country in February and March with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announcing various winners of the various contested positions.

But in Adamawa and a few other states, the electoral body declared the exercise inconclusive. The final results collated by INEC in Adamawa showed that the incumbent governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri, scored the highest votes.

He was closely trailed by Senator Aisha Dahiru Ahmad Binani, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Fintiri led Binani with over 31,000 votes having scored 421,524 votes, while Binani secured 390,275 votes.

However, INEC said the cancelled votes were more than the margin of lead between Fintiri and Binani.

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A supplementary election took place on Saturday in 69 polling units across the state.

However, there was drama on Sunday morning as Prof Hudu Yunus Ari, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Adamawa, declared Binani as winner midway into the collation.

Results from 10 out of the 20 local government areas had been declared while the exercise was adjourned till 11am.

Some PDP supporters in the hall had protested why the announcement was made by the REC instead of the returning officer.

INEC, however, later overruled RECS declaration and suspended collation of the results.

Daily Trust highlights seven things to know about Binani, who has been in the spotlight of the exercise.

1. Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani is 51 years old, born on August 11, 1971

2. She has been serving as the senator for Adamawa Central since 2019.

3. She was formerly a member of the House of Representatives representing Yola North/Yola South/Girei federal constituency as a member of the PDP in the 7th Assembly between 2011 and 2015.

4. She started her early school education in Kaduna State and completed it at Gwadabawa Primary School, Jimeta Yola.

5. She went to the United Kingdom for her university education where she obtained a Higher National Diploma in Electrical Engineering at the University of Southampton.

6. She is currently the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

7. She was declared winner of the APC Adamawa governorship primary after polling 430 votes to defeat her closest contestant, Nuhu Ribadu, the pioneer Executive Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who got 288 votes.