Uncertainty surrounds Adamawa REC’s alleged poll fraud case

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Uncertainty surrounds Adamawa REC’s alleged poll fraud case

The joint panel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the Department of State Services investigating the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, may have abandoned the matter following the retirement of the panel’s chairman, Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Garba Umar, The PUNCH has learnt.

Sources told our correspondents that the panel hadn’t sat on Yinusa-Ari’s case for over two weeks now.

“The suspended Adamawa REC, Yinusa-Ari’s case has been abandoned. Even the panel investigating the matter hasn’t sat for over two weeks now.

“As you know, the chairman of the panel, AIG Umar, has retired since May. And since his retirement, no one has been appointed to head the panel,” a source said.

Umar bowed out of the police on May 15, about two weeks after Yinusa-Ari was invited, detained, queried, and reportedly had his passport seized by the police.

When contacted by our correspondent following his retirement, Umar said he had no knowledge of the matter since his retirement.

“You know I have left the police now; I have no knowledge of the matter. Kindly reach out to the Force Public Relations Officer,” Umar had told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview.

Meanwhile, when contacted in May, the FPRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said, “The chairman of the panel has retired, but I will make findings about the matter and revert to you.” However, nothing has been heard of the matter till date.

When contacted again on Friday, Adejobi directed our correspondent to reach out to INEC over the matter.

“Kindly ask INEC,” he said.

Meanwhile, when one of our correspondents reached out to INEC, the electoral body redirected her to the police for inquiry over the matter.

The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said, “It’s the police that can answer your questions, not INEC. We don’t have investigative powers.”

The PUNCH had reported that Yinusa-Ari’s passport and that of some INEC commissioners were reportedly seized by the police earlier in May, while they were admitted to administrative bail and restricted to the Federal Capital Territory.

However, it couldn’t be confirmed whether or not their passports have been released and the restrictions on their movements lifted.

The PUNCH reports that the Adamawa REC got into trouble after declaring the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Aisha Dahiru, popularly known as Binani, as the winner of the Adamawa State governorship election, when collation of results was yet to be completed.

This was followed by an announcement by INEC, proclaiming the declaration by Yunusa-Ari as null and void, while the REC was summoned to INEC headquarters in Abuja, but failed to honour the invitation.

The electoral umpire further wrote to the police asking them to investigate, and if found culpable, prosecute Yunusa-Ari for alleged electoral infractions.

Following the receipt of the letter, the IG subsequently asked an investigative team to work in collaboration with INEC on the matter, as the electoral umpire revealed that it didn’t know the whereabouts of the suspended Adamawa REC.

On April 20, The PUNCH reported that former President Muhammadu Buhari approved Yunusa-Ari’s suspension pending the conclusion of police investigation.