Police, DSS, INEC Invite Suspended Adamawa REC, Yunusa-Ari

A joint panel comprising officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS), and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has invited the suspended Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari.

Naija News reports that the embattled REC was summoned over his conduct during the April 15 Adamawa State supplementary elections.

Recall that Yunusa-Ari controversially declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aisha Binani, governor-elect, while collation was ongoing.

INEC, however, distanced itself from the REC’s declaration days before declaring the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmadu Fintiri, the winner of the governorship election.

The electoral body also summoned Yunusa-Ari to its headquarters in Abuja, but he failed to appear for question over his decision to announce the candidate of the APC.

In a new development, the investigation panel set up by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has reportedly asked Yunusa-Ari to show up at the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja.

The panel is headed by an Assistant Inspector General of Police and Head of Interpol, Nigeria, Garba Umar, who was appointed as Head of the Election Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Team in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.

The spokesperson for the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Funmi Eguaoje, confirmed the development to The PUNCH on Monday.

Confirming Yunusa-Ari’s invitation, the FCID PRO, Eguaoje, said the matter was under the jurisdiction of the investigation panel and not solely a police matter.

Eguaoje said, “The suspended Adamawa REC has been invited by a joint panel comprising the police, DSS, and INEC officials. The committee was set up to investigate the matter, and the Chairman of the committee is AIG Garba. But it is not solely a police matter, the case is under the joint panel’s jurisdiction.

“The REC was invited by the joint committee, not the police. And I can’t confirm whether or not he has honoured the invite. I only know that he has been invited by the panel.”