INEC has directed one of its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari, to stay away from all activities of the electoral umpire and the election in Adamawa State.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has directed one of its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari, to stay away from all activities of the electoral umpire and the election in Adamawa State.
Mr Yunusa Ari who was the REC for the gubernatorial election in Adamawa State, stirred controversy on Sunday morning when he announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the polls, a move that was not within his constitutionally given authority.
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Asides from the announcement being a usurpation of the Returning Officer’s office, Barr Ari doubly-erred in that he announced the results of an election whose collation process had not been concluded, and this caused tension within the state, and stirred great debate across the nation, with observers calling what transpired in Adamawa State, a shame.
A statement signed by the Secretary of the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, read: “I hereby convey the commission’s decision that you (Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari), Resident Electoral Commissioner, Adamawa State, should stay away from the Commission’s office in Adamawa immediately until further notice. The Administrative Secretary has been directed to take full charge of INEC, Adamawa with immediate effect”.
The commission had earlier in a statement rejected Ari’s declaration of Binani as the Adamawa governor-elect and suspended further collation of results.
The statement read: “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a purported declaration of winner in the Adamawa Governorship election by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) even when the process has clearly not been concluded.”
“The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer. It is null, void and of no effect. Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended” INEC said.
INEC also invited the state REC, Hudu Ari and the returning officer of the state, Mele Lamido, to its headquarters in Abuja.