The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ended a ruling party candidate’s attempt to become the nation’s first elected female governor on Tuesday by announcing the incumbent in northeastern Adamawa state as the winner of a contested governorship race.
Two days prior to Ahmadu Fintiri’s victory, INEC had pronounced Aisha Dahiru, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress party, the winner. However, the INEC later revoked that declaration.
Nigerians cast their ballots for state governors on March 18, but in Adamawa, a state with a significant conservative Muslim population, the vote was close. Thus, a second round of voting was held on Saturday.
INEC claimed that the Adamawa electoral commissioner broke the law by declaring Dahiru the winner before results from half of the districts were totalled. He was suspended and was going to be prosecuted, according to the INEC.
Dahiru has been hailed as a trailblazer who might open the door for more Nigerian women to run for high political office.
In Nigeria, governors have significant sway, and candidates for president frequently win with their backing. Some governors are in charge of states with budgets that are larger than several little nations in Africa.
Bola Tinubu of the ruling party won a contested presidential election on February 25 that marked the beginning of this year’s election cycle.
