Binani won 2023 Adamawa guber poll, sacked REC insists

Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the former resident electoral commissioner (REC) of Adamawa, has insisted that Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), won the 2023 election in the state.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday in Bauchi state, Yunusa-Ari, while holding the Quran, said his decision to announce Binani as the winner of the Adamawa governorship election was done in good faith.

The former REC said he sent several letters to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explain his side of the story.

He alleged that there was pressure on electoral officials to declare Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of Adamawa and candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), winner of the election.

“The dismissal is not my problem. The civil service is governed by civil service rules, procedures, and services,” he said.

“In law, there is what we call the golden rule of natural justice, which says that you must be heard.

“Even God will never punish anybody without sending the messages, the prophets, and the scriptures.

“The refusal of INEC to collect my letters, and then the tribunal said they are not using my evidence. Even as an ordinary judge, what do you say to that?

“Wallahi, whatever I do, I do it within the bounds of the Quran. We have to remember the last day.

“I can even announce it now; she won the election against Fintiri.”

In April 2023, Yunusa-Ari declared Aisha Binani as the winner of the Adamawa governorship supplementary poll when the collation of the results was yet to be completed.

However, INEC declared the announcement null and void and summoned the REC to its headquarters in Abuja.

On April 20, 2023, former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the suspension of the Adamawa REC pending the completion of an investigation by the police.

On July 6, 2024, INEC filed a six-count charge against Yunusa-Ari before a high court in Yola, Adamawa state capital.

Recently, the senate granted the request of President Bola Tinubu to sack Yunusa-Ari and the suspended RECs of Abia, and Sokoto states over alleged misconduct.