Court Might Order Arrest Of Suspended INEC REC, Yunusa-Ari As He Fails To Show Up For Hearing

A High Court in Adamawa State might order the arrest of suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari for the 2023 elections in the state next week.

Naija News learned that neither  Yunusa-Ari nor his defense team were in the courtroom today.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on July 6, 2023, had slammed a six-count charge on the suspended REC.

According to a statement signed by INEC Commissioner Festus Okoye, Yunusa-Ari’s court trial is at the Adamawa State High Court sitting in Yola.

The suspended REC is being tried for ‘illegally’  declaring the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Aishatu Dahiru Binani, the winner of the April 15, 2023, governorship election

However, Yunusa-Ari, as gathered by this platform on July 10, 2023, obtained an order from a Federal High Court in Abuja, restraining further actions on the matter.

Following this development, when the matter came up for mention on Wednesday, neither the suspended REC nor his defense team were in the courtroom.

The presiding Justice, Benjamin Manji, told the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, that he would consider issuing a warrant of arrest on Yunusa-Ari on July 20, 2023.

The prosecuting counsel, Jacobs, asserted that a court order emanating from a Federal High Court in Abuja, which restraints further proceedings, is a way to delay the hearing, adding that the federal court doesn’t have the jurisdiction over election matters.

He submitted that the court should proceed with the hearing regardless of the said court order because he is yet to be served the order.

Jacobs said, “They obtained an order before a Federal High Court staying all actions, pending the hearing of motion on notice. But I only saw the demand for the first time before the court this morning.

“They got the order so as to prevent this matter from going on. This is what we have make of our judiciary, the Supreme Court has made series of pronouncements on this issue.

“Electoral offence is clearly within only the jurisdiction of the State High Courts. The implication is that they have abandoned all the decisions of the Supreme Court, and they’re making their own rules.

“Their plan to stall the prosecution because they know the court is going on vacation, which means the trial may not commence.”

But Justice Manji confirmed receipt of the order and noted that  “it is not proper for me to support INEC to flaunt an order of a court, however frivolous the order. We should wait for the outcome of the motion exparte on July 18.”

He then adjourned the matter to July 20, 2023, for further mention.