INEC: SUSPENDED ADAMAWA REC, YUNUSA ARI FAILS TO APPEAR IN COURT

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Hudi Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa State, was supposed to be arraigned today (Monday) at the State High Court in Yola, but he was not present.

As a result, INEC has been directed by the State High Court to have Yola Judge Benjamin Manji appear in court on November 23, 2023, the next scheduled session.

This comes after Yunusa-Ari was not served with the hearing notice by the police.

The prosecutor’s attorney, INEC Justice Rotimi Jacobs, claims that the police repeatedly went to his residence in an attempt to deliver the hearing notice. Furthermore, the surety of the defendant was untraceable.

But Benjamin Manji, the presiding judge, questioned why the police, who used a surety to issue him release, were unable to locate either the defendant or the surety.

As a result, he agreed to the prosecution’s request that the defendant appear in court for two weeks.

INEC Rotimi Jacobs’s attorney gave the press an assurance shortly after the sitting that every effort would be made to guarantee the defendant’s presence on the postponed date.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has approved INEC’s prosecution of Yunusa-Ari, who is charged with six counts related to his involvement in the state’s 2023 gubernatorial election. Additionally, the prosecutor is pressing for the issuance of an arrest order for him.

Midway through the results collation process, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Aishatu Ahmed Binani was declared the winner by the suspended REC after the extra governorship on April 15th concluded.

Following strong criticism of his actions, INEC nullified the declaration and suspended him indefinitely.