Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Hudu Yunusa-Ari has been summoned by Interpol for alleged misconduct in the state’s April 14 supplemental elections.
Interpol said in a letter that Mr Yunusa Ari should report to the National Central Bureau in Abuja for questioning.
“The bureau is investigating a case of conduct likely to cause breach of public peace, violation of oaths of neutrality, impersonating a collation/returning officer, disobedience to lawful order/directive, impersonation and announcing false governorship result of the just concluded Adamawa State governorship supplementary election,” of April 15, 2023, the letter, dated April 27, 2023, said.
Garba Umar, an assistant inspector-general of police in charge of Interpol, signed the letter, which did not give a date for the INEC chief to appear. Mr. Umar’s responsibilities also include election monitoring and assessment coordination at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Mr Yunusa-Ari became a person of interest to the police after he hastily declared Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Adamawa governorship polls, a move that INEC said violated the Electoral Act because collation was still ongoing and Mr Yunusa Ari was not the returning officer and thus unauthorised to make a declaration.
Mr Yunusa Ari soon left Adamawa on a chartered flight after the announcement. President Muhammadu Buhari ordered his immediate arrest for the illegal declaration.
But people close to Mr Yunusa Ari said he was not on the run, adding that he became a target of powerful interest at INEC and Adamawa after refusing to compromise in the exercise. Yunusa-Ari in a letter sent to the nation’s top security agencies alleging two INEC national commissioners Baba Bila and Abdullahi Zuru conspired with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the election.
Mr Yunusa Ari said Mrs Dahiru got the highest number of valid votes, hence, won the governorship election. But Ithe NEC headquarters argued the result and said its final tally showed incumbent Governor Ahmadu Fintiri was reelected.
Several aides to the governor were arrested for allegedly attacking INEC officials and security agents, including a director of the State Security Service. The governor and his aides denied wrongdoing.
The police invitation would give Mr Yunusa Ari a chance to defend his declaration and argument as a precursor to a long-drawn legal battle over the matter.
