Police panel invites suspended Adamawa REC over guber poll

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Police panel invites suspended Adamawa REC over guber poll

The investigation panel set up by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has invited the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner of Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, for questioning, according to the online portal, TheCable.

Recall that the panel invited Yunusa-Ari over his conduct during the April 15 governorship election in Adamawa State.

Yunusa-Ari declared Aisha Binani Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner when the collation of the results was yet to be completed, thus stirring controversy and anger among people in the polity.

Consequently, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared the announcement null and void and summoned the REC to its headquarters in Abuja.

The electoral umpire also wrote to the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, to prosecute Yunusa-Ari over the electoral infraction.

This was followed by the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari of the REC’s suspension, pending the completion of an investigation by the police. A day later, INEC said it was not aware of the whereabouts of Yunusa-Ari.

The IGP subsequently asked an investigative team to work in collaboration with INEC on the matter.

The investigative panel invited Yunusa-Ari to show up at the force headquarters in Abuja. The panel is headed by Garba Umar, Assistant Inspector-General of Police, and head of Interpol in Nigeria.

Confirming the invitation of the REC yesterday, the spokesperson of force’s criminal investigation department, FCID, Funmi Eguaoje, said he would appear before officials of INEC, Department of States Services, DSS, and NPF.

Eguaoje said: “There was a committee constituted to investigate, which included INEC and police. The AIG Umar is the chairman of that committee.

“He (Yunusa-Ari) was not invited by police or Interpol so to say. He was invited by the committee. The committee comprises officials of DSS, NPF and INEC.”