Go to Court and Prove Your Innocence, INEC Tells Sacked Adamawa REC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the dismissed Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, to approach the court and defend himself rather than making unsubstantiated claims in the media.
According to Vanguard, Yunusa-Ari, who reportedly fled the country following the controversy surrounding the Adamawa governorship election, recently criticized his dismissal. He claimed to have evidence supporting his decision to declare the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, as the winner of the 2023 governorship election.
During his trial last year, Yunusa-Ari was said to have gone into hiding, as revealed by the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), CSP Moses Jolugbo, in his testimony before the Adamawa State High Court. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Usman Suleiman, who represented him in court, stated that Yunusa-Ari was not in the country but had taken refuge in Niger Republic.
Reacting to his recent remarks, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, stated that since Yunusa-Ari had returned from hiding, he should present himself in court to answer the charges against him.
"Our attention has been drawn to the interview granted by the former REC of Adamawa State, Mr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari. There is nothing new in what he said," Oyekanmi stated.
He further emphasized that the 2023 Adamawa governorship election had already been conclusively determined by the judicial process, from the Election Tribunal to the Appeal Court, and ultimately settled by the Supreme Court.
INEC declined to comment on Yunusa-Ari’s conduct during the election, citing ongoing litigation at the High Court in Yola. Oyekanmi added, "Now that he is back in the country, the appropriate place for him to prove his innocence is in court, not through a press conference."
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