Binani’s Declaration: Police, DSS, INEC joint panel invites suspended Adamawa REC

Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, has been invited to testify before a joint panel made up of members of the Nigerian Police Force, the Department of State Security, and the Independent National Electoral Commission regarding his behavior during the state’s April 15 supplementary elections.

Yunusa-Ari was requested to appear before the inquiry panel convened by Usman Baba, the Inspector-General of Police, at the Force Headquarters in Louis Edet House, Abuja.

In the run-up to the general elections in 2023, Garba Umar, an assistant inspector general of police and the head of Interpol in Nigeria, was chosen to lead the team responsible for planning, monitoring, and evaluating the elections.

Funmi Eguaoje, the Force Criminal Investigation Department’s spokesperson, told reporters on Monday that the development had occurred.

When declaring Aisha Dahiru, better known by her stage name Binani, as the winner of the Adamawa State governorship election before the results of the collation of votes were complete, Yunusa-Ari had caused controversy.

In response, INEC made a statement declaring that his declaration was invalid.

Yunusa-Ari was summoned by INEC to the organization’s headquarters in Abuja, but she did not appear.

The election umpire also wrote to the NPF, requesting that it look into the allegations against Yunusa-Ari and, if proven guilty, bring charges against him.

The electoral umpire stated that it was unaware of Yunusa-Ari’s whereabouts after receiving the letter, and the IG subsequently instructed an investigative team to work with INEC on the case.

According to a report from WITHIN NIGERIA on April 20, Buhari gave his approval for Yunusa-Ari to be suspended awaiting the outcome of a police probe.

Confirming Yunusa-Ari’s invitation on Monday, in a telephone interview The Punch , the FCID PRO, Funmi Eguaoje, said the matter is 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.”