Police panel invites suspended Adamawa REC over conduct during guber poll

The investigation panel set up by Usman Baba, inspector-general of police, has invited Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended resident electoral commissioner in Adamawa.

The panel invited Yunusa-Ari over his conduct during the April 15 governorship election in Adamawa state.

Yunusa-Ari had stirred controversy by declaring Aisha Binani Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner when the collation of the results was yet to be completed.

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

Subsequently, the electoral umpire wrote to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to prosecute Yunusa-Ari over the electoral infraction.

On April 20, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the suspension of the Adamawa REC 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.

TheCable understands that the panel is headed by Garba Umar, assistant inspector-general of police, and head of Interpol in Nigeria.

Confirming the invitation of the REC on Monday, Funmi Eguaoje, spokesperson of the force criminal investigation department (FCID), told TheCable that he will appear before officials of INEC, Department of States Services (DSS), and NPF.

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

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

In the build-up to the general election, the IGP appointed Umar as the head of the election planning, monitoring and evaluation team.