Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner Hudu Ari, a governor elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, called on Monday for an overhaul of the appointment process for Resident Electoral Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The governors made this appeal against the backdrop of the illegal declaration of Aisha Dahiru, also known as Binani, the All Progressives Congress candidate, as the winner of the Adamawa State governorship election by the state REC, Mr. Hudu Ari.
In a statement signed by the Director General of the PDP Governors Forum, Cyril Maduabum, the governors urged the Returning Officer for the Adamawa State governorship election, Prof. Mohammed Mele, to immediately conclude the collation process and declare the result. The statement read in part: “There should be a deliberate process of revisiting the appointments of National and Resident Electoral Commissioners to weed out corrupt and extremely partisan officials. It is the partisan method of appointment of these officials that led to national disgrace in Adamawa State.”
“The attempted electoral heist and brigandage perpetrated by the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barrister Hudu Yunusa, is perhaps the lowest point of the 2023 General elections,” the governors added. “We commend the immediate steps taken by INEC as an institution to recover its battered image by nullifying the attempted coup and suspending the REC. The appropriate Returning Officer, Mele Lamido, should immediately conclude the collation and declare the result.”
The governors emphasized that “one of the most important lessons of this election season is that the integrity of INEC personnel is crucial to free, fair, and credible elections as well as the deployment of technology.” They called for “appropriate sanctions, including prosecution of all those involved, especially the former Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barrister Hudu Yunusa, to be swiftly commenced to serve as an example to others.” Finally, they urged all Nigerians to remain alert as the country braces for emerging threats to democracy and the ongoing struggle for good governance.
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