After hiding to avoid arrest for some weeks, the Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday said it has arrested the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner of Adamawa state, Hudu Yunusa-Ari.
Ari has been in hiding for about three weeks after he was removed as RREC by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following his alleged illegal declaration of the candidate of the All Progressives congress (APC), Aishatu Ahmed Dahiru (Binani) as winner of the Adamawa State governorship election, which sparked controversy, even as results were been collated.
INEC had while sacking the REC, asked the Police, Department of Sate Security (DSS) and other security agencies to investigate and prosecute the embattled REC.
This is even as the REC spoke last week from his hiding place, insisting that he had no cause to show remorse for his action Hudu-Yunusa Ari said he never regretted announcing Aisha Binani Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the 2023 governorship election in the state.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Tuesday, Ari maintained that he acted in accordance with relevant laws in declaring the APC candidate as the governor-elect of the state before the declaration was overturned by the national headquarters of the electoral body in Abuja.
“I never demanded any gratification from either of Binani or Fintiri. None of the duo sent anything to me; if they have done so by now they will be demanding their monies back,” Ari said, speaking from hiding with BBC Hausa.
Confirming his arrest, the Force Public Relation Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement on Tuesday that Yunusa-Ari is currently being grilled in police custody.
The statement reads, “Barrister Ari, who was arrested by the Police Election Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Team in Abuja on Tuesday 2nd May, 2023, is currently in police custody and is being grilled to ascertain the motives and motivations behind his alleged improper actions during the supplementary elections in Adamawa state.
“The Nigeria Police Force hereby confirms the arrest of Barr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), who was alleged to have announced the candidate of the All Progressives Congress winner of the gubernatorial elections during the recently concluded supplementary elections.
“This followed calls for his arrest and investigation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the basis of alleged impropriety in the course of supplementary gubernatorial polls in the State.
“Barrister Ari was arrested by the Police Election Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Team in Abuja on Tuesday 2nd May, 2023.
“He is currently in Police custody and is being grilled to ascertain the motives and motivations behind his alleged improper actions during the supplementary elections in Adamawa State”.
“In addition, other officials and individuals culpable in the saga are being interrogated by the team.
“The Inspector-General of Police has given clear assurance that every individual involved/indicted in the matter will be apprehended and investigated in line with the provisions of the law for possible prosecution.
“The Inspector-General of Police has assured of the commitment of the Force to ensuring that justice is served in this case and that all guilty parties are brought to justice.”