Adamawa election: INEC orders REC to vacate office

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has directed its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, to immediately stay away from the state office until further notice.

INEC gave the directive via a letter dated Monday, April 17, 2023, and signed by the Secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

The electoral umpire, in the letter entitled ‘Commission’s Directive to Stay Away from INEC, Adamawa State’, also directed the state administrative secretary to take charge of the state office immediately.

The letter read: “I hereby convey the Commission’s decision that you (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.

“Please, accept the assurances of the commission’s warm.”

Yunusa-Ari, on Sunday, April 16, declared the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aishatu Binani, winner of the governorship supplementary election in Adamawa State while the process of results collation from about 10 Local Government Areas was yet to be concluded.

The INEC headquarters, however, declared his action null and void and suspended the result collation process.

The commission also directed the REC and others involved in the action to report to the electoral umpire’s headquarters in Abuja.

The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, who confirmed the letter on Monday, said the REC, was still being expected as of the time of filling this report.

“The REC was directed to report today (Monday). We are still expecting him,” Okoye told NAN.

The Star