The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has replaced its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari mni, following the uproar that resulted from his announcement of the governorship supplementary election in the state.
INEC also ordered Ari to stay away from its office in Adamawa State forthwith.
Barrister Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, in a statement, Monday said: “Following his purported declaration of the result for the Adamawa State Governorship election yesterday Sunday 16th April 2023, the Commission has withdrawn its delegated powers from Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari mni as the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the State. Accordingly, he has been directed to stay away from the Commission’s office in Adamawa State forthwith.”
The Commission stated further that its Administrative Secretary in the State “has been directed to take over the affairs of the State office until further notice.”
Ari had, contrary to the laid down guidelines that require the Returning Officer of elections to announce results, gone ahead to announce the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the election, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani, as the winner of the polls when collation of results was still on going.
The Commission had earlier, in another statement by Okoye, nullified the result announced by the REC and called his action “usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer.”
The statement had said: the “attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to the purported declaration of winner in the Adamawa State Governorship election by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari.
“The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer and therefore null, void and of no effect. Consequently, the collation of the result of the supplementary election held yesterday 15th April 2023 is suspended forthwith.
“The REC for Adamawa State and all other officials involved in the process are hereby directed to report immediately to INEC headquarters in Abuja.
“Meanwhile, the Commission is deeply disturbed by the harassment of our two National Commissioners deployed to the State to ensure a peaceful and credible supplementary election. We urge the security agencies to provide them with necessary security and ensure that nothing untoward befalls them. The two National Commissioners, the Returning Officer and other staff of the Commission must be allowed to perform their duties without let or hinderance.
“The Commission will not condone any act of lawlessness or brigandage targetted at our officials or the process.”
