Controversial Adawama REC Detained, Insists Binani Won Governorship Election

 

Suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari has spent his first day in custody of the police at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

 

Recall that he was arrested yesterday over alleged impropriety during the April 15 supplementary governorship poll in Adamawa State.

 

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed that Yunusa-Ari and other suspects were in police custody and were being grilled.

 

This was as the suspended Adamawa REC said, in an interview with BBC Hausa, that he had no regrets about announcing the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Aisha Dahiru, popularly known as Binani, as the winner of the 2023 governorship election Adamawa State.

 

Recall that Yunusa-Ari had stirred controversy after declaring  Binani when the collation of results was yet to be completed.

 

This was followed by an announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission, proclaiming the declaration by the REC as null and void, while Yunusa-Ari was summoned to INEC headquarters in Abuja, but failed to honour the summons.

 

The electoral umpire further wrote to the Inspector-General of Police, asking the police to investigate, and if found culpable, prosecute Yunusa-Ari for alleged electoral infractions.

 

Following the receipt of the letter the IG subsequently asked an investigative team to work in collaboration with INEC on the matter, as the electoral umpire revealed that it didn’t know the whereabouts of the suspended Adamawa REC.

 

Confirming the arrest of Yunusa-Ari and other suspects on Tuesday, the Force spokesman, Adejobi, said, “The Nigeria Police Force hereby confirms the arrest of Barrister Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the Adamawa State REC, who was alleged to have announced the candidate of the All Progressives Congress winner of the gubernatorial election during the recently concluded supplementary elections following calls for his arrest and investigation by the INEC on the basis of alleged impropriety in the course of supplementary gubernatorial polls in the state.

 

Meanwhile, speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Tuesday prior to his arrest, Yunusa-Ari maintained that he acted in accordance with relevant laws in declaring the APC candidate, Binani, as the governor-elect of Adamawa state before the declaration was overturned by the national headquarters of the electoral empire in Abuja.

 

He said, “I don’t have the papers with me here but both in the main and supplementary elections, Binani scored 428,173 while Fintiri got 422,303 votes.

On accusations of receiving N2bn to pull off the electoral stunt, Ari told BBC Hausa that, “I never demanded any gratification from either of Binani or Fintiri. None of the duo sent anything to me; if they had done so, by now they will be demanding their money back.”