INEC to suspended Adamawa REC: Prove your innocence in court… not through press conferences
Yunusa-Ari is currently facing a six-count charge for his alleged unlawful actions during the March 18, 2023, governorship election in Adamawa.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Adamawa state, to defend himself in court rather than through media briefings.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, the chief press secretary to Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, gave the advice on Monday in an interview with NAN in Abuja.
Oyekanmi stated that since Yunusa-Ari is back in the country, he should take advantage of the legal process to clear his name over allegations of electoral irregularities in the 2023 Adamawa governorship election.
Yunusa-Ari is currently facing a six-count charge for his alleged unlawful actions during the March 18, 2023, governorship election in Adamawa.
The former REC was suspended in April 2023 by then-President Muhammadu Buhari after he prematurely declared Aisha Dahiru (Binani) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the election winner while collation was still ongoing.
INEC nullified the announcement, summoned Yunusa-Ari to its headquarters in Abuja, and subsequently suspended him.
At a news conference in Bauchi state on Saturday, Yunusa-Ari rejected his suspension, arguing that he was denied a fair hearing and reiterating his claim that Binani won the election.
However, INEC’s spokesperson dismissed his claims, stating that the matter had already been resolved through the courts.
“Our attention has been drawn to the interview granted by the former REC of Adamawa state, Yunusa-Ari. There is nothing new in what he said,” Oyekanmi stated.
“The substantive matter of the 2023 Adamawa governorship election has been determined through the judicial process—from the trial tribunal to the appeal tribunal and finally settled by the supreme court.”
Oyekanmi emphasised that since Yunusa-Ari’s conduct is currently a subject of litigation at the High Court in Yola, INEC will not comment further on the case.
“Now that he is back in the country, the right place to prove his innocence is in court—not through a press conference,” he added.
At the Bauchi news conference, Yunusa-Ari claimed he had made several attempts to explain his actions to INEC in writing.
He also alleged that INEC officials were pressured to declare Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner and insisted he deserved a fair hearing.
However, the federal high court in Abuja dismissed Yunusa-Ari’s suit, in which he sought protection from arrest, detention, or prosecution by law enforcement agencies.
James Omotosho, the presiding judge, ruled that the suit lacked merit, and that Yunusa-Ari had no legal grounds to seek immunity.
Additionally, in January 2025, Yunusa-Ari requested the Adamawa high court to adjourn his case indefinitely (sine die), further delaying legal proceedings.
Recently, the senate approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to sack the suspended RECs.
