Nigerian police confirmed the arrest and detention of Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC.
Confirmations from the security authority say that others involved in electoral fraud during the governorship supplementary election were being interrogated. CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi confirmed Yunusa-Ari’s arrest and detention on Tuesday in Abuja. This is coming after the Independent National Electoral Commission called for an investigation due to alleged impropriety.
Barrister Ari was also arrested by the Police Election Planning Team for alleged misconduct during the Adamawa State supplementary elections. He is now in police custody, being questioned alongside others involved. The police chief promises to capture and probe everyone implicated and bring them to justice through the legal system.
Adamawa’s suspended resident electoral commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, is now in police custody after stating he would surrender himself after two weeks in hiding, per his BBC Hausa interview. “I’ll turn myself in since the police have summoned me now.” “I will soon come out,” Yunusa-Ari informed BBC Hausa.
Yunusa-Ari denies receiving a N2 billion bribe to announce Aishatu Dahiru Binani as the winner of the Adamawa State governorship election. He has been accused of taking a bribe from the APC candidate. The Independent National Electoral Commission invalidated Yunusa-Ari’s announcement and declared the PDP’s incumbent governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, as the winner.
Yunusa-Ari, in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, expressed no regret in announcing election results mid-election. He denied allegations of receiving an N2 billion bribe, dismissing them as social media hype, and claimed his actions were legally justified. The REC stated he was willing to surrender to police this week and denied reports of being searched by DSS or police. He clarified that he was aware of bribery accusations against the governor but did not confirm them directly. “I had no involvement with Binani or Fintiri. The N2 billion bribe rumours on social media are false.” “I have no regrets for doing what was allowed in a democracy,” he stated.
