Adamawa Polls: What He Did Is An Aberration – INEC Condemns Ari’s Declaration

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the declaration made by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Adamawa State, Hudu Ari is an abberation.

Recall that Ari had declared Aisha Binani winner of the supplementary election while the collation was still ongoing.

The National Commissioner and Chairman of Voter Education of the commission, Festus Okoye said Ari’s action is in isolation from what other RECs of INEC have been doing in other states of the country

Okoue, who was speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, submitted that he knows how RECs in other state have worked so hard to contribute to a successful elections.

According to him,“What he did is just an aberration, I know that we have very fine Resident Electoral Commissioners in various states of the federation and they know the extent of their powers and they have been conforming to the duties assigned to them by the commission

“So I want to view his behaviours as an isolated event and do not represent what our Resident Electoral Commissioners are all about because I know that some of them work assiduously to ensure that we delivered on our mandate.”

Okoye further explained that the commission had received a report from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) that the process of prosecuting the controversial Adamawa REC has commenced.

He said “We wrote to the Inspector General of Police and Secretary to the Government of the Federation. We have received a response from the Inspector General of Police and they have already commenced an investigation.

“My understanding is that the moment the Inspector General of Police concludes the investigation regarding the REC and every other individual who is involved and a prima facie case is established against the REC, the file will be made available to the commission and the commission will begin prosecution of the REC.”