Supplementary poll: Buhari suspends Adamawa REC

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate suspension of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, over the controversial supplementary governorship election in the state.

The Director of Information in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, made this known via a statement issued on Thursday, April 20.

Bassey noted that President Buhari approved the suspension of Yunusa-Ari pending the completion of an investigation by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, on the conduct/actions of the REC during the supplementary gubernatorial election in Adamawa State.

INEC, in a statement issued on Tuesday, April 18, declared that it had written to the IGP for the immediate investigation and possible prosecution of Yunusa Ari, adding that it requested the SGF, Boss Mustapha, to draw the attention of the appointing authority to the unwholesome behaviour of the REC for further action.

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The Star recalls that Yunusa-Ari declared the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aishatu Binani, as the winner of the poll while the collation of results was still ongoing at the commission’s collation centre in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, on Sunday, April 16.

Yunusa-Ari, who said the APC candidate scored the highest number of votes, did not provide the data or the results with which she won the election.

INEC, while declaring Yunusa-Ari’s action null and void, summoned the Adamawa REC and others involved in the action to the electoral umpire’s headquarters in Abuja.

The commission, on Monday, directed Yunusa-Ari to immediately stay away from the state office until further notice.

The electoral umpire also ordered its administrative secretary in Adamawa State to take charge of the state office with immediate effect.

INEC, on Tuesday, April 18, declared Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the PDP as the winner of the gubernatorial poll.

The Star