It has been reported that Suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC) for Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari has said that he declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) winner of the governorship election in the State to save the democratic process.
Ari said in accordance with the powers conferred on him by the Electoral Act as the Chief Collation Officer in Adamawa State.
T his was contained in a four-page letter he wrote to the Inspector General of Police from his hiding.
The embattled REC accused the two National Commissioners deployed to the State to supervise the April 15 supplementary election of collecting bribe from Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to declare him winner of the governorship election in Adamawa State.
In the letter, which was hand-dated April 20, the embattled REC also accused the two National Commissioners of usurping his responsibility as Resident Electoral Commissioner.
He denied any wrong doing in declaring the candidate of the APC, Aishatu Dahiru (Binani) winner of the governorship election saying he acted within the responsibility vested on him by the Electoral Act as the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state.
He said that as the Chief Collation Officer in the State, he observed that results uploaded on the IREV portal were not signed by him and therefore null and void.
The letter titled: “Report of the conduct of supplementary elections held on the 15th April, 2023 in Adamawa state”, a copy of which was obtained by The Nation was stamped received in the IGP office on the same day.
Although the letter, which was copied to the INEC Chairman, Director General, DSS and the National Security Advisor was addressed to the Inspector General of Police, the content is suggestive of the fact that it may have been meant for the Commission.
The letter is the first communication of the suspended REC since he declared Binani winner of the election.
INEC had said that it was not aware of the whereabouts of the Hudu Yunusa-Ari as he did not respond to summon to come to Abuja to explain his actions and did not return any of the calls placed to him.
The letter reads “You may wish to know that there is no better time than now to update the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and all concerned Nigerians on the conduct of the 15th April, 2023 supplementary elections in Adamawa State.
