The Independent National Electoral Commission has advised its sacked Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, to prove his innocence in court rather than through a news conference.
Chief Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Abuja.
Oyekanmi said now that Yunusa-Ari was back in the country, he should avail himself the opportunity of exploiting a legal process on his alleged involvement in irregularities in the conduct of the 2023 governorship election in Adamawa State.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Yunusa-Ari is facing a six-count charge of unlawful roles in the Adamawa State governorship election on March 18, 2023.
NAN also reports that Yunusa-Ari was suspended in April 2023 by former President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring Aisha Dahiru, popularly known as Binani, of All Progressives Congress winner of the governorship election when collation of results was still ongoing.
INEC, however, declared the announcement null and void and summoned the REC to its headquarters in Abuja, after which he was suspended.
Last week, President Bola Tinubu approached the Senate for the sack of Yunusa-Ari and two other suspended RECs.
The request of President Tinubu was approved by the Senate.
The REC had at a news conference on Saturday in Bauchi State faulted his suspension, saying that he was not given fair hearing, while also insisting that Bianani won the election.
Oyekanmi, while reacting to the claims, advised Yunusa-Ari to go and defend himself in the court, not through a news conference.
He said: “In response to your request, our attention has also been drawn to the interview granted by the former REC of Adamawa State, Yunusa-Ari.
“There is nothing new in what he said.
“In any case, the substantive matter of the 2023 Adamawa State governorship election has been determined through the appropriate judicial process from the trial Tribunal to the Appeal Tribunal and finally settled by the Supreme Court.
“The commission will not comment on the propriety or otherwise of his conduct during the concluding part of the election, as the matter is right now the subject of litigation at the High Court sitting in Yola and, therefore, subjudice.
Also Read:
- The witches on Portable’s road to madness (1), by Tunde Odesola
- Eve’s Desire: Use your mouth to please your man this Valentine, by Tiwa Says
- Sanwo-Olu to commission reconstructed alternative route to Admiralty Circle Plaza
- Face-off With VDM: Nedu steps down from Honest Brunch Podcast
- How, why I was arrested, by Professor Usman Yusuf
“Now that he is back in the country, the right place to prove his innocence and the propriety of his action is by availing himself for the due process of law and not a press conference.”
Yunusa-Ari had at the news conference in Bauchi claimed that he tried multiple times to explain his actions to INEC through letters.
The former REC, who claimed officials were pressured to declare Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party as winner of the election, argued that he deserved to be heard.
NAN reports that the Federal High Court in Abuja had in February 2024 dismissed a suit filed by Yunusa-Ari seeking protection against arrest, detention, or prosecution by the police and others.
The presiding judge of the court, James Omotosho, in his judgment, dismissed the suit for lacking merit.
Omotosho held that Yunusa-Ari, in his fundamental rights enforcement suit, made an elaborate show by trying to shield himself from being arrested, detained, or prosecuted by security agencies, but that there was no ground where such immunity could have been granted by the court.
In January 2025, Yunusa-Ari also pleaded with the Adamawa State High Court to adjourn the case against him sine die (indefinitely).
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
