President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate suspension from office of Adamawa state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Hudu Yunusa-Ari, pending the completion of investigation by the Inspector General of Police Baba Alkali on his conduct and actions during the supplementary election in the state....CONTINUE READING
This was contained in a statement issued Thursday in Abuja by Director of Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Mr. Willie Bassey…..CONTINUE READING
The statement said the president directed the immediate investigation and prosecution, if found liable, of Hudu Yunusa Ari by the IGP.
The president also directed investigation by the IGP, Director-General of the State Security Service Yusuf Magaji Garba Bichi and Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) Ahmed Abubakar Audi, of the role of their “Similarly, one National Commissioner each was deployed to Sokoto, Zamfara, Imo, Rivers, Ekiti and Ogun States.
“This has been the standard practice of the Commission of which all RECs are informed in advance.
“Therefore, Adamawa State was not specifically targeted. In all other States, the RECs worked cooperatively with the national commissioners except in Adamawa State for reasons that are now obvious to all.
“The public is advised to discountenance these insinuations as nothing more than claptrap.
“We also advise those behind the mischief to desist forthwith as such fabrications have endangered the lives of our officials (both ad hoc and regular) engaged in legitimate election duties.
“We expect well-meaning citizens to act within the bounds of propriety and decency,” Okoye clarified. in aiding and abetting the conduct and actions of Yunusa-Ari.
The statement further quoted the president as saying if found culpable, appropriate disciplinary actions should be meted out to the affected officers.
We never compromised – INEC
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Thursday condemned a report that its officials deployed to supervise the Adamawa state governorship rerun paid a nocturnal visit to the state’s Government House with the intent of rigging the polls in favour of incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee Festus Okoye made the denial in a statement in Abuja.
After last Saturday’s supplementary poll, Fintiri was declared governor-elect by the commission.
But dismissing the report casting aspersion on its officials, INEC said: “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a press statement by a candidate in the recently-concluded Adamawa State governorship election in which officials deployed for legitimate duty in the state were alleged to have undermined the electoral process after a discreet ‘nocturnal’ visit to the Government House and ostensibly met with one of the candidates in the election, who gave them a list of ‘collation and returning officers’ deployed for the election.
“Ordinarily, the Commission does not join issues with partisan actors, particularly where no evidence has been provided.
“To set the record straight, no such visit or meeting took place, let alone the compilation of any purported list of collation and returning officers.
“Such a meeting would have been contrary to the oath of neutrality that we all swore to.
“Moreover, every conscientious observer would have noticed that the Commission appointed and retained only one Returning Officer for the governorship election, who also doubled as the State Collation Officer for the Presidential Election (SCOPE).
“Like all returning officers nationwide, he was issued a letter of appointment by the Commission and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State was duly informed.
“The list of collation officers was also forwarded to the state with every page of the list personally endorsed by the Chairman of the Commission well ahead of the arrival of the National Commissioners.”
Okoye said the same press statement created the impression that the national headquarters of the Commission specifically targeted the state in its deployment of national commissioners and other officials with the sole intention of influencing the outcome of the supplementary election held on Saturday, April 25 and sidelining the REC.
“Nothing can be further from the truth. For the record, it has been the standard policy and practice of the Commission to deploy National Commissioners, RECs and other staff from the headquarters or neighbouring states for supplementary or off-cycle elections where doing so is considered necessary.
“In the case of Adamawa, where supplementary governorship election was held in 69 polling units, two national commissioners were deployed while for Kebbi State involving 142 polling units, three national commissioners were deployed.
“Similarly, one National Commissioner each was deployed to Sokoto, Zamfara, Imo, Rivers, Ekiti and Ogun States.
“This has been the standard practice of the Commission of which all RECs are informed in advance.
“Therefore, Adamawa State was not specifically targeted. In all other States, the RECs worked cooperatively with the national commissioners except in Adamawa State for reasons that are now obvious to all.
“The public is advised to discountenance these insinuations as nothing more than claptrap.
“We also advise those behind the mischief to desist forthwith as such fabrications have endangered the lives of our officials (both ad hoc and regular) engaged in legitimate election duties.
“We expect well-meaning citizens to act within the bounds of propriety and decency,” Okoye clarified…..CONTINUE READING
