The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has resolved to write the Inspector-General of Police, Baba Ahmed, to investigate and prosecute Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State.
Yunusa-Ari had illegally declared Aisha Dahiru Guber candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the gubernatorial elections in the state.
INEC’s decision was taken at a technical meeting held on Tuesday in Abuja, attended by national commissioners of the agency.
The electoral body also decided to write to Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to brief President Muhammadu Buhari about the “unwholesome behavior” of the REC.
The Adamawa governorship supplementary election was held on Saturday, following the declaration of the March 18 poll as inconclusive due to alleged irregularities. However, the collation of election results was suspended until Sunday after results from 10 LGAs were announced.
Despite the suspension, Yunusa-Ari declared Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election when results from the remaining LGAs had not been announced.
INEC subsequently discontinued the exercise and described his action as null and void, adding that the declaration of a winner is the responsibility of the returning officer.
The development sparked protests in Adamawa state, with members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) staging a demonstration on Monday, marching through the streets of Yola, the state capital.
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) also condemned the REC’s action and called on INEC to “sanction all erring officials who carried out the illegal” declaration of Binani as the winner of the poll.
In response to the situation, INEC has said that the collation process “shall resume at a time to be determined” by the returning officer.
Meanwhile, Binani, whom Yunusa-Ari illegally announced as the winner, has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop INEC from nullifying her announcement as the winner of the election.
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