Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa State Hudi Yunusa Ari from office indefinitely.
In a letter dated April 17 by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony INEC asked the REC to stay away from the Commission’s office in Yola till further notice.
It asked the Administrative Secretary of the Commission in the State to take charge of the affairs of the office with immediate effect.
The two paragraph letter titled: “Commission’s directive to stay away from INEC, Adamawa State” reads: “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. Please, accept the assurances of the Commission’s warm”
Asked if the letter was authentic, National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye simply replied “it’s authentic”.
On Sunday, the REC announced the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Adamawa governorship election, Aishatu Dahiru popularly known as Binani as winner of the governorship election in the State while collation of the supplementary election was still ongoing.
INEC headquarters in Abuja immediately disowned the announcement saying the REC acted outside the powers given to him and summoned the Returning Officer and the REC to Abuja.
The Commission also asked security agents to arrest and prosecute those who brutalised one of its national commissioners deployed to Adamawa State for Saturday’s supplementary governorship poll.
INEC National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education Festus Okoye told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that the Commission will not accept a situation where its officials on duty are brutalised
He said: “If you see what is trending, two national commissioners were deployed to Adamawa State. One of them was brutalised, one of them was stripped naked. That will not be allowed to stand.
“The security agencies must unmask those who engaged in that particular act. They must be arrested, they must be investigated and they must be prosecuted. A national commissioner cannot be treated as if he or she is a common criminal.
“A former Vice Chancellor of Usman Dan Fodio University, a senior citizen was stripped naked and dragged. This commission will not allow that to stand.”
