Nigerians on Twitter have been reacting to report of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not knowing the whereabouts of the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner of Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari.
Ari created confusion during the governorship supplementary election in the State held 18 April, when he usurped the powers of the Returning Officer by announcing Aishatu ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner, even when collation had not been concluded.
INEC’s National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, who was speaking on a television programme on Friday, said Ari had not reported to the headquarters of the commission in Abuja, several days after the electoral umpire summoned him.
Okoye said: “We don’t know where he is because, after this particular incident, the Commission wrote to him and also called him on the phone. He never returned any of the calls, he never answered any of the calls.
“We asked him to report to the Commission last Sunday, we didn’t see him, we asked him to report on Monday we didn’t see him. So up till this moment, he has not reported and we don’t know his whereabouts.”
Okoye added that it is the responsibility of the Police to declare Ari wanted for failing to report to the commission or answer its calls.
“Well, that is the responsibility of the Nigerian police. If they feel that his presence is absolutely needed during the investigation and he is nowhere to be found, it is their prerogative and discretion to declare him wanted.
“We wrote to the Inspector General of Police and Secretary to the Government of the Federation. We have received a response from the Inspector General of Police and they have already commenced an investigation.
“My understanding is that the moment the Inspector General of Police concludes the investigation regarding the REC and every other individual who is involved and a prima facie case is established against the REC the file will be made available to the commission and the commission will begin prosecution of the REC,” he said.
The commission reported Ari’s infractions to President Muhammadu Buhari last Thursday, who immediately approved his suspension, until the completion of an investigation by the Inspector General of Police on the case.
Reacting to the report, a lot of Nigerians have expressed disbelief over it, describing President Buhari and his party APC, as the country’s deadliest mistakes.
A tweep @akintollgate who seemed baffled by the report, said: “A man makes an illegal announcement on National TV in Adamawa seated next to a commissioner of Police.
He is summoned to Abuja and the man was last seen boarding a private jet and a whole Federal Govt, DSS, Police force & Army tell you the man can’t be found!
“Nigeria is not a crime scene, it’s a crime series on TV!”
@SpecialAdaide wrote: “Buhari and APC is a deadly mistake to Nigeria as a country I swear down” just as @Zayn100k noted: “Actually I don’t blame buhari , Jonathan is the main problem.”
@omoiyaoluko on his part said: “We shouldn’t blame anybody, we are all d problem! Jonathan warned us of this govt, bt we all clamoured for CHANGE unfortunately we did not ask if it’s a +/- change, we all were veiled with d unnecessary change mantra, we will really need to work hard to return 🇳🇬 back to normal.
“Unfortunately dis is d issue, Irrespective of if u voted APC or not as long as d vote of d majority will always count in every election then it’s safe to say we all did! that’s Y am so hard on any1 dat will always say, everyone should have a choice, sincerely to me dat is wrong.
“Cos d choice of d majority might not be d good or d best choice, den we all will suffer for it, can you imagine d numbers of life’s that we have lost due to one unfortunate reason or the other? Do u know what we’ve lost as a Nation? due to d japa syndrome?”
