Hudu Yunusa Ari, the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa State, has broken his silence on the controversial declaration of Aishatu Dahiru, popularly known as Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the governorship election.

Ari was suspended by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after his illegal declaration of Binani as the winner, which was contrary to the Electoral Act. INEC later declared Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the authentic winner of the election after following due process.

Ari, in a recent letter to the Inspector General of Police, claimed that he acted within the ambit of the law. He stated that the results to be announced by the INEC Collation Officer differed from the copies he signed and uploaded on the Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

He also alleged that attempts were made to replace him with his secretary, and accused two national commissioners of meeting with Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri at the Government House, Yola, during the supplementary election.

“It was based on this that I compiled all the polling unit results and declared the election winner based on the highest number of valid votes scored by the candidate of the APC,” Ari stated.

“I had the breakdown of the valid votes scored by the two leading candidates in the supplementary election, using the results from the polling units as collated into all relevant forms EC8B, C, D and E respectively by properly and legally appointed and recognised collation officers and my humble self as the Adamawa State Chief Collation Officer and Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).”

Meanwhile, INEC has denied claims of its officials meeting with Fintiri during the supplementary election. INEC had previously asked the Inspector-General of Police and necessary security agencies to investigate and prosecute Ari for his role in the illegal declaration of Binani as the winner of the governorship election.

[Reuben Abati]