Since his infamous behaviour during the supplemental governorship election in the state, the suspended resident electoral commissioner of Adamawa State, Hudu Ari, has been missing, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ari, who caused controversy by declaring the results of the supplementary governorship election in Adamawa State on Sunday while counting had not yet been completed, was reported to President Muhammadu Muhammadu Buhari, who on Thursday approved Ari’s suspension pending the outcome of an investigation by the Inspector General of Police into the conduct and actions of the REC during the Supplementary election in Adamawa State.
“We don’t know where he is because the Commission wrote and called him following this particular occurrence. He didn’t come back.
“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.
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“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,” INEC National Commissioner Festus Okoye said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday.
When asked if he believed Ari will be arrested for failing to appear before the Commission or return its calls, Okoye responded that the Nigerian Police are in charge of doing that.
“Well, the Nigerian police are in charge of it. It is their power and judgement to designate him sought if they believe his presence is crucial to the inquiry and he is nowhere to be found,” he said.
“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.