By Ononye VC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday resolved to write to the inspector general of police, Usman Baba, to probe and prosecute its resident electoral commissioner in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa Ari.
The electoral umpire reached the decision when its national commissioners met at the commission’s national headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday over Adamawa’s supplementary governorship election.
In a string of tweets on its official handle, INEC said: “At its meeting on 18th April 2023, the Commission discussed matters arising from the Adamawa Governorship election and decided to:
“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.”
The decision of the electoral body is coming barely 24 hours after it directed Ari to stay away from all activities of the electoral umpire and the election in state.
The INEC REC had on Sunday stirred controversy when at about 9 a.m. he announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of Saturday’s supplementary election over the incumbent governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
INEC had immediately summoned Ari to Abuja and declared his announcement an invalid declaration and an usurpation of the powers of the collation and returning officer.
Before the collation exercise was suspended on Saturday night, results from 10 LGAs had been announced—and Binani was trailing Fintiri.
The collation of results from the remaining 10 LGAs was expected to commence by 11 a.m. on Sunday, and Mele Lamido, the returning officer for the Adamawa governorship election, was not present when Ari announced Binani as the winner of the election.
