The suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Barr Hudu Yunusa Ari, is to be investigated and prosecuted over the unlawful declaration of Aishatu Dairu Ahmed, well known as Binani, as the winner of the state governorship election.
This is sequel to the resolution of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to write the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba, to investigate and prosecute Ari.
The commission’s decision was arrived at during a meeting on Tuesday which reviewed and discussed the Adamawa governorship poll.
“At its meeting today, 18th April 2023, the Commission discussed matters arising “
“Write to the Inspector-General of Police for the immediate investigation and possible prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari.
“Request the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to draw the attention of the appointing authority to the unwholesome behaviour of the REC for further action.
“The collation process shall resume at a time to be determined by the Returning Officer,” INEC wrote via its Twitter handle.
The INEC was to hold an emergency management meeting on Monday but move it to Tuesday.
The National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the shifting of the meeting was to enable some of the national commissioners and other officials who are either on field assignments or have distances to come to Abuja for Tuesday’s meeting.
The commission fixed the meeting over the controversial declaration of the winner of the Adamawa State supplementary by the now-suspended REC, Ari.
In another development, a national commissioner has kicked against the treatment meted out to Ari in Yola, saying: “It was despicable that a national commissioner will be stripped naked. Where are the security operatives; there are a lot of questions begging for answers.”
The commission had also summoned the suspended Adamawa State REC, Prof. Ari, the Collation/Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed Mele, and all other officers involved in the election.
However, Okoye confirmed that Prof. Mele, who has the statutory responsibility to declare the result, was no where to be found, during the controversy, has arrived in Abuja.
