The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) said the whereabout of the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa State, Hudu Ari has remained unknown after the controversial declaration of Aishatu Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the governorship poll.
Penpushing reports that spokesperson of the commission, Barrister Festus Okoye made this known during an interview, adding that since the illegal declaration, Ari has disappeared into thin air, and not responding to calls made to his phone.
‘We don’t know where he is because, after this particular incident, the commission wrote him and also called him on the phone. He never returned any of the calls, he never answered any of the calls,” he said.
“We asked him to report to the commission on Sunday we didn’t see him, we asked him to report on Monday we didn’t see him. So up till this moment, he has not reported and we don’t know his whereabouts”, Okoye added
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) image maker added that the runaway officials equally flouted the directive to present himself to the headquarters of the commission in Abuja, on Monday
Penpushing further reports that, Ari it is recalled, two hours before the resumption of the collation of results as adjourned by the Returning Officer for the Governorship election in Adamawa State, went into the collation centre to declare Mrs Dahiru, popularly called Binani, the winner of the elections.
The collation of results was yet to be concluded to determine the winner, while the electoral law, does not empower Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) to officially declare results, but Ari acted contrary in the presence of Commissioner of Police in the state alongside other security officials.
Penpushing also reports that the development resulted in a controversy that saw the commission’s headquarters in Abuja quickly releasing a statement, describing Ari’s actions as a usurpation of the power of the returning officers, and pointed out that the declaration by Ari was null, void and of no effect
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ordered the suspension of the collation of results and summoned both the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and Returning Officer to the commission’s headquarters.
Penpushing reports that Okoye said the commission has written the police to probe and prosecute the suspended electoral umpire, adding that it was the responsibility of the police to declare him wanted if need be.
‘If they feel that his presence is absolutely needed during the investigation and he is nowhere to be found, it is their prerogative and discretion to declare him wanted. We wrote to the inspector-general of police and secretary to the government of the federation. We have received a response from the inspector-general of police and they have already commenced investigation’, he explained.
“Our understanding is that the moment the inspector-general of police concludes the investigation relating to REC and every other individual who is involved and a prima facie case is established against the REC, the file will be made available to the commission and the commission will initiate the prosecution of the REC”, Okoye emphasized
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