INEC calls for police prosecution of Adamawa REC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the police to prosecute the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa state, Hudu Yunusa Ari.

The INEC stated this following Tuesday’s closed-door meeting of all its National Commissioners at its national headquarters in Abuja over the highly controversial supplementary governorship election conducted in Adamawa State over the weekend.

Adamawa REC, Ari, had earlier declared that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani won the supplementary gubernatorial election that was held on Saturday.

INEC, however, voided the declaration of Binani as the winner of the Adamawa governorship election with the commission also summoning Ari to Abuja and declaring his announcement an invalid declaration and a usurpation of the powers of the collation and returning officer.

Ari was also told by INEC to stay away from all activities of the electoral umpire and the election in Adamawa state.

But barely 24 hours after, all National Commissioners of the electoral umpire were said to have gone into a closed-door meeting in Abuja to discuss the way forward.

At its meeting on Tuesday, 18th April 2023, the Commission discussed matters arising from the Adamawa Governorship election.

INEC also decided to write to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) for the immediate investigation and possible prosecution of the REC for Adamawa State, Ari.

It requested 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. Detailed official statement will follow shortly,” INEC tweeted.