Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, a former Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Director of Publicity and Voter Education, has revealed that Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa gubernatorial election, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, could face conviction for 36 months if he is found liable for declaring a wrong result.
Osaze-Uzzi spoke while fielding questions on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Monday.
Yunusa-Ari had caused a major controversy when he announced Aisha Binani of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner of the governorship election on Sunday.
Before the collation exercise was suspended on Saturday night, results from ten local government areas had been announced and Binani was trailing the incumbent governor, Ahmadu Fintiri.
However, INEC swiftly denounced the purported declaration and suspended the collation of results of the supplementary election.
The electoral body further summoned the REC to Abuja with immediate effect.
Speaking on the development, Osaze-Uzzi said, “If he is against the law, I think in Section 120 sub-section 4 Electoral Act of 2020 made it specific clear that any person who knowingly declares a wrong result is guilty of an offence and if found deniable is liable to conviction for 36 months.
“I don’t know why he did what he did, I am happy with the reaction of the commission, it was swift and decisive. He is certainly not the returning officer.”
