The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said the suspended Adamawa Residents Electoral Commissioner, REC, Yunusa Ari, has disappeared without a trace.
INEC spokesman, Festus Okoye, revealed this during an interview on Channels TV on Friday.
According to Mr Okoye, the REC had neither returned calls to his line nor honoured invitations sent to him to appear at the commission’s headquarters.
He said: “We don’t know where he is because, after this particular incident, the commission wrote 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 on 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.”
When asked whether the commission would declare him wanted, Mr Okoye said that is within the purview of the Nigerian police.
“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,” Mr Okoye said.
The National Commissioner added that the electoral umpire had received a response from the Inspector General of Police that it had commenced the process of prosecuting the controversial REC.
“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 added.
