The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has examined why it cannot account for the whereabouts of the suspended Adamawa state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari.
Yunusa-Ari was the REC that took over the results collation of the Adamawa Governorship election, and midway, declared Aishatu Dahiru Binani as the winner.
Enraged by his action, the INEC suspended the collation, invited the REC and other officials of the Commission, and subsequently suspended Yunusa-Ari.
Appearing on ChannelsTV’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, the INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye said the Commission does not know Yunusa-Ari’s whereabouts.
According to him, Yunusa-Ari failed to honour the INEC’s several invitations to report to the Commission.
“We don’t know where he is because, after this particular incident, the Commission wrote him and also called him on the phone. He never returned any of the calls, he never answered any of the calls.
“We asked him to report to the Commission on Sunday we didn’t see him, we asked him to report on Monday we didn’t see him. So up till this moment, he has not reported and we don’t know his whereabouts,”
On whether Yunusa-Ari would be declared wanted for failing to report to the Commission, Okoye said that is the responsibility of the Nigerian Police.
“Well, that is the responsibility of the Nigerian police. If they feel that his presence is absolutely needed during the investigation and he is nowhere to be found, it is their prerogative and discretion to declare him wanted,” he said.
The INEC National Commissioner said that the Commission had received a report from the Inspector General of Police and has commenced the process of prosecuting the controversial Adamawa REC.
“We wrote to the Inspector General of Police and Secretary to the Government of the Federation. We have received a response from the Inspector General of Police and they have already commenced an investigation.
“My understanding is that the moment the Inspector General of Police concludes the investigation regarding the REC and every other individual who is involved and a prima facie case is established against the REC the file will be made available to the commission and the commission will begin prosecution of the REC,” he added.
