The dismissed Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, has alleged that he was pressured into declaring Governor Ahmadu Fintiri as the winner of the 2023 governorship election. He insists that he had evidence proving that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani, was the rightful winner.
During an interview in Bauchi on Saturday, Yunusa-Ari accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and the Election Tribunal of ignoring reports of irregularities. He claimed that both he and other officials faced threats to their safety, which influenced the final declaration of results.
Swearing by the Holy Qur’an, he maintained that he acted with integrity and followed electoral guidelines. He also accused INEC’s ICT head in Adamawa, Bala Aji, of tampering with election materials, alleging that Aji handed over 20,000 sensitive documents to Governor Fintiri. Yunusa-Ari further claimed that these documents were found in a private residence linked to the governor, where officials were allegedly altering them.
He also accused Aji of distributing BVAS machines and bribing INEC staff with foreign currency on election day, which he described as an abuse of office. Despite submitting reports to INEC headquarters exposing these alleged violations, Yunusa-Ari said his concerns were ignored.
“The dismissal is not my problem. The civil service is governed by civil service rules, procedures, and services,” he said. He also questioned why his evidence was not considered, adding, “The refusal of INEC to collect my letters and then the tribunal said they are not using my evidence. Even as an ordinary judge, what do you say to that?”
Yunusa-Ari insisted he had substantial proof to support his claims but was never given a chance to present them. He displayed documents he said were authentic result sheets, along with letters he had written to INEC.
“They should have acted immediately, but my report was swept under the carpet. This is one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life,” he stated.
He expressed frustration over not being given a fair hearing and accused INEC and the Tribunal of dismissing his evidence without consideration. Addressing allegations that he received a N2 billion bribe, he denied any wrongdoing and said he was consulting his family on his next steps. He also lamented that the media coverage of his case had severely damaged his reputation.
Yunusa-Ari was suspended on April 17, 2023, after controversially declaring Binani as the winner while the collation process was still ongoing. His declaration was quickly nullified by INEC, and he was later charged with misconduct in an Adamawa State High Court.
