Fact Check: Is Aisha Binani Elected as the First Female Governor in Nigeria?

Fact Check: Is Aisha Binani Elected as the First Female Governor in Nigeria?

Claim: Social Media and other news outlets were awash with claims that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Gubernatorial candidate in Adamawa State, Senator Aisha Dahiru Ahmed Binani has made history by being the first elected female Governor in Nigeria by polling 409,909 votes against PDP’s 406,617

Full Text: According to some news reports, “Nigeria’s first female to be elected as Governor has emerged from Adamawa, North-East Nigeria. She is Senator Aisha Binani of the All Progressive Congress.

“Binani apart from being the first female to be so elected, also defeated an incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri.

“She becomes the country’s first female governor from a part of the country where girl education was low and women are not considered to be fit for higher responsibilities.” 

While a Facebook user posted her photo with the following accompanying text: 

“Her name is Senator Binani,the Governor-elect of Adamawa State. She’s the history maker and  Nigeria’s first woman to be elected as a State Governor. Binani is the symbol of the present Nigerian woman. THE POWER OF THE WEAKER VESSEL. Congratulations to the Nigerian women”

Reports emerged Sunday night that there was confusion at the Adamawa state Governorship election results collation center following refusal by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa, to collate governorship results from Fufore local government area.

As of the time, results from 20 local government areas have been collated, giving the incumbent governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri a slight lead.

The last result that is pending is from Fufore local government which generated hot controversy during the day.

Verification: PRNigeria monitored results collation from both INEC’s IReV portal and the State Collation state but the winner of the election has not yet been announced by INEC as of the time of this fact check being Monday 20th March at 09:00hrs. 

Further findings by PRNigeria indicates that the gubernatorial race in Adamawa State is a very fierce one with the two leading parties going neck and neck. 

INEC has so far only announced 20 of the 21 LGA’s in the state and the figures show the governorship candidate of the PDP Ahmadu Fintiri, maintaining a slim lead over Send Aisha Dahiru Binani of the APC.

While the governor who is seeking re-election has clearly won in about 11 LGAs, Binani has taken about 7 councils, however, the margins between both contending candidate is narrow. 

In all, results in 20 local governments have been announced out of 21 local governments, with the governor of the state and candidate of the PDP, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintri, presently leading with 35,615 votes.

Reports emerged that there was heightened tension at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) collection centre in Adamawa State at midnight as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties resisted move by the commission to manipulate the governorship election results in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Owing to the tension, the Returning Officer in charge of the state governorship elections, Prof. Mohammed Alaminu Mele, who is the Deputy Vice-Chancelor Administration, University of Maiduguri, announced the suspension of collation of results.

Conclusion: findings by PRNigeria reveales that the complete result in Adamawa State is yet to be announced as only figures in 20 local governments have been announced out of 21 local governments, with the governor of the state and candidate of the PDP, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintri, presently leading with 35,615 votes.

PRNigeria therefore concludes that as at 09:00hrs of Monday 20th March 2023, no official announcement is made on the winner of Adamawa Gubernatorial Elections.

Therefore, the claim that Senator Aisha Dahiru Ahmed Binani has made history as the first elected female Governor in the country is MISLEADING. as at 9.00am of Monday March 20th, 2023

By PRNigeria