ABUJA, Nigeria – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has taken a bold step in addressing the controversy surrounding the Adamawa supplementary governorship election.
In a meeting held on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, the commission resolved to request a probe and possible prosecution of its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa Ari, by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba.
The decision came after INEC’s National Commissioners convened at the commission’s national headquarters in Abuja to discuss matters arising from the contentious election. INEC announced the outcomes of the meeting in a series of tweets on its official handle.
The commission has 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.”
In addition, INEC will “request the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to draw the attention of the appointing authority to the unwholesome behavior of the REC for further action.”
This development follows the directive issued by INEC to Ari, instructing him to stay away from all activities of the electoral umpire and the election in the state.
The controversy began when Ari 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 immediately summoned Ari to Abuja and declared his announcement invalid, citing it as a usurpation of the powers of the collation and returning officer.
Before the suspension of the collation exercise on Saturday night, results from 10 LGAs had been announced, with Binani trailing Fintiri. The collation of results from the remaining 10 LGAs was expected to commence at 11 am on Sunday. Mele Lamido, the returning officer for the Adamawa governorship election, was not present when Ari announced Binani as the winner of the election.
According to the Nigerian constitution, Lamido is the rightful official empowered to declare the winner of the election.
In light of these events, INEC has decided that “the collation process shall resume at a time to be determined by the Returning Officer.”
