Trial of suspended Adamawa REC, Yunusa-Ari stalls, as he goes missing

Ibidoja Ololade

Hudi Yunusa-Ari the suspended Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State failed to show up at the State High Court on Monday where he was to be tried.

Justice Benjamin manji of the State High Court ordered the INEC to make sure Yunusa-Ari is available in the next sitting on November 23, 2023.

According to the prosecution counsel to INEC, justice Rotimi Jacobs, the Police made several attempts to serve the hearing notice by visiting his home but could not be traced.

Judge Benjamin Manji, was amazed why the Police who granted him bail through a surety could neither get the defendant nor the surety.

Justice Manji granted the prosecution counsel’s request of two weeks for the defendant to appear before the court.

The Federal High Court in Abuja gave INEC the permission to prosecute Yunusa-Ari, who is facing a six-count charge over his conduct during 2023 governorship election in Adamawa State, where he unilaterally took over the duty of the returning officer to announce a candidate as a winner of the election when collation was yet to be concluded.

Ari stirred controversy when he announced Aishatu “Binani” Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Adamawa governorship while the collation of the April 15 supplementary election was still ongoing.

He had said that he announced the results of 69 polling units in the supplementary poll due to security pressure. He was suspended and grilled by the Police.