Embattled Adamawa REC Responds to Claims APC Offered Him N2 Billion

• Under-fire Adamawa Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, has denied any wrongdoing in the 2023 gubernatorial election
• Yunusa-Ari said he didn't collect bribes from either Aisha Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
• The legal practitioner insisted that he has broken no law, expressing no regret about his controversial declaration in April

Yola, Adamawa state - Barrister Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), has dismissed claims that he was offered N2 billion to announce the result of the 2023 gubernatorial election in the state in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Aisha Binani Dahiru, the party's governorship candidate.

Speaking in an interview published by BBC Hausa on Tuesday, monitored by Legit.ng, Yunusa-Ari said no one offered him money to make the announcement.

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“I didn’t ask Binani and Fintiri for a single penny. It is against my religion to collect money from someone to help him do anything and I swear to God, claims that I was offered N2 billion are just baseless allegations and rumours,” Yunusa-Ari said.

“Where will I take N2 billion to? I saw it on social media that I was offered N2 billion."

Furthermore, Yunusa-Ari expressed no regret about his controversial announcement of Dahiru as the winner of the Adamawa poll, while also stating that he broke no law.

The Adamawa Election Saga

Legit.ng had reported that the Adamawa governorship supplementary election was conducted on April 15 following the declaration of the March 18 poll as inconclusive over alleged irregularities.

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After voting ended, the collation of results began at the state collation centre — but the exercise was suspended after results from 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) were announced.

However, Yunusa-Ari declared Binani as the winner before the collation resumed on April 16.

He made the declaration when outstanding results were yet to be announced.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) subsequently described his action as illegal, saying it was null and void.

The electoral umpire said the declaration of a winner is the responsibility of the Returning Officer (RO).

Police detain Hudu-Ari

Meanwhile, Hudu-Ari, is presently in the custody of the police, the force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said Tuesday.

Adejobi said in a statement that the Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Team of the police had arrested Ari in Abuja.

Police added that other officials and individuals culpable in the saga are being interrogated by the Election Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Team.

Source: Legit.ng