Declare suspended Adamawa REC wanted, CSO tells police

Suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Ari A Civil Society Organisation, Partners for Electoral Reform, has called on the Nigeria Police to declare the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa State, Hudu Ari, wanted if he fails to present himself for investigation. Recall that Ari was suspended by the President, Major Genral Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) over his conduct when he declared the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Aishatu Binani, the winner during the April 15 supplementary election, while the process was still ongoing. The President directed that an investigation be carried out by the Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of the Department of State Services and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. However, the suspected REC had allegedly gone into hiding from where he reportedly wrote a letter to the police. But the Chairman, Partners for Electoral Reform, Ezenwa Nwagwu, called on the police to immediately declare Ari wanted, saying he was admitting guilt by going into hiding. In a statement on Friday, Nwagwu said, “He is doing himself a disservice by going into hiding. His action is an admission of guilt which is apparent from his sudden disappearance. He should be courageous to answer the IG’s invitation and make an official statement rather than resort to letter writing. “If Mr Hudu Yunusa Ari is not ready to voluntarily submit himself to the police for investigation as directed by the President, the police should declare him wanted immediately.”