Contrary to reports making the round in the news, a source close to the embattled Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari on Tuesday claimed he (Yunusa-Ari) voluntarily honoured an invite to Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja and was never arrested.
According to PRNigeria, Yunusa-Ari was driven to the Force Headquarters by a Senator (names withheld) in honour of the invitation issued to him by the INTERPOL.
The source said “Adamawa REC voluntarily reported to police, not arrested. The police invited him for interrogation on May 5th and he voluntarily went on May 2nd.
“He was driven to the Force Headquarters by a Senator.”
The police had on April 27, invited the Adamawa REC to report to its National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja office at Police Force Headquarters for interview by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, INTERPOL on Friday 5th May 2023 at 1000hrs.
The INTERPOL invitation to Yunusa-Ari is over his conduct during the April 15 governorship election in Adamawa State.
Yunusa-Ari declared Aisha Binani Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner when the collation of the results was yet to be completed, thus stirring controversy and anger among people in the polity.
Consequently, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared the announcement null and void and summoned the REC to its headquarters in Abuja.
The electoral umpire also wrote to the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, to prosecute Yunusa-Ari over the electoral infraction.
This was followed by the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari of the REC’s suspension, pending the completion of an investigation by the police. A day later, INEC said it was not aware of the whereabouts of Yunusa-Ari.
The IGP subsequently asked an investigative team to work in collaboration with INEC on the matter.
The investigative panel invited Yunusa-Ari to show up at the force headquarters in Abuja. The panel is headed by Garba Umar, Assistant Inspector-General of Police, and head of Interpol in Nigeria
