The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has written the Inspector General of Police to arrest and prosecute its Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa State, Barr Hudu Yunusa Ari.

It also asked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to draw the attention of the appointing  authority to the ‘unwholesome ‘behaviour of the REC  for further action.

It took the decision at the meeting of its National Commissioners who met at the commission’s national headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
The meeting was summoned  barely 24 hours after the electoral umpire directed its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa Ari, to stay away from all activities of the electoral umpire and the state election.

Recall that the INEC REC had on Sunday stirred controversy when at about 9 am he announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of Saturday’s supplementary election over the incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

INEC had immediately summoned Ari to Abuja and declared his announcement an invalid declaration and a usurpation of the powers of the collation and returning officer.

Before the collation exercise was suspended on Saturday night, results from 10 LGAs had been announced — and Binani was trailing Fintiri.

The collation of results from the remaining 10 LGAs was expected to commence by 11 am on Sunday, and Mele Lamido, the returning officer for the Adamawa governorship election, was not present when Ari announced Binani as the winner of the election.

According to the constitution, Lamido is the rightful official empowered to declare the winner of the election.