‘His continued stay will stoke violence’ — PDP asks INEC to sack Adamawa REC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove Hudu Ari as the Adamawa state’s resident electoral commissioner (REC) ahead of the supplementary election.

On March 20, the electoral commission declared the governorship election in the state as inconclusive.

The electoral umpire had fixed April 15 for the supplementary election in the state.

In a statement on Tuesday, Debo Ologunagba, the spokesperson of PDP, accused the INEC REC of being partisan and taking sides with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party said INEC is stoking a breakdown of law and order in the state with Ari’s continued stay in the office as Adamawa REC.

“It is provocative and unacceptable that INEC retained Mallam Yunusa Ari to conduct the April 15, 2023 governorship re-run election despite being reportedly caught on tape directing the electoral officer of Fufore LGA of Adamawa state in Hausa Language to alter election results in favour of the defeated governorship candidate of the APC senator, Aisha Binani,” Ologunagba said.

“The continued stay in office of Mallam Yunusa Ari in the face of the widespread outcry by the people of Adamawa state amounts to pushing the people to the wall and daring them to do their worst.

“The PDP dismisses the lame denial of the leaked audio tape by the exposed INEC resident electoral commissioner.”

Ologunagba said there were allegations that the INEC REC also gave similar instructions to electoral officers in some other LGAs to manipulate results.

“In view of these grave allegations and evidence of the audio tape already in the public domain, Mallam Yunusa Ari should immediately recuse himself from superintending and/or conducting the re-run governorship election in Adamawa State on April 15, 2023,” the statement reads.

“The PDP invites Nigerians to note that INEC relieved the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Sokoto state, Dr. Nura Ali over allegations of irregularities in the conduct of the just concluded elections in that state. 

“There is therefore no justification for the continuing stay of Mallam Yunusa Ari as Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa State in the face of these grave allegations except for sinister reasons.

“The continued stay of Mallam Yunusa Ari as INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa State is heightening tension and is capable of disrupting the peace for which the state is known.

“Mallam Yunusa Ari has clearly become partisan; he has descended into the arena by allegedly taking sides with the APC, a political party in the contest to the extent of directing Electoral Officers to manipulate election results in favour of the APC candidate.

The PDP, therefore, demands that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu immediately remove Mallam Yunusa Ari as Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa state.”