INEC urges suspended Adamawa REC to prove innocence in Court

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa, Mr Hudu Yunusa-Ari, to prove his innocence in court rather than through a news conference.

This comes after Yunusa-Ari held a press conference in Bauchi State, where he faulted his suspension and insisted that Aisha Dahiru (popularly known as Binani) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the governorship election.

However, INEC’s Chief Secretary to the Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, responded to Yunusa-Ari’s claims, stating that the matter is already in court and that the suspended REC should avail himself of the opportunity to prove his innocence through the legal process.

Oyekanmi noted that 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.

Yunusa-Ari is facing a six-count charge of unlawful roles in the Adamawa governorship election held on March 18, 2023.

He was suspended in April 2023 by former President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring Binani the winner of the election when collation of results was still ongoing.