For alleged electoral infraction, the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari, has been suspended from office with immediate effect.
His suspension followed his illegal declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate, Sen. Aisha Dahiru Binani, as governor-elect on Sunday in the rerun held on Saturday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja, which sent him packing, has ordered him to stay away from the office of the commission in Yola, Adamawa State indefinitely.
In a letter dated April 17, 2023 and signed by its Secretary, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the commission directed its Administrative Secretary in the state to take charge immediately.
“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 State immediately until further notice.
“The Administrative Secretary has been directed to take full charge of INEC, Adamawa State with immediate effect,” Persecondnews quotes from the letter.
Persecondnews reported on Sunday that INEC had disowned and distanced itself from the declaration of the APC candidate, Sen. Aishatu Binani, as the winner of Saturday’s supplementary governorship poll.
It disowned and chided the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yinusa, for the action when the process had not yet been concluded.
A statement by the National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, Mr Festus Okoye, and obtained by Persecondnews said:” Our attention has been drawn to the purported declaration of Binani as winner by the REC, even when the process has not been concluded.
“The action of the Resident Electoral Commissioner is an usurpation of the powers of the State Returning Officer and is therefore null, void and of no effect.”
