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By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Yunusa Ari, indefinitely.
This was contained in a statement signed by the secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, on Monday.
Ari stirred controversy on Sunday morning when he declared Aisha Dahiru Ahmed, aka Binani, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the Adamawa governorship election, a move that was not within his constitutionally given authority.
Aside from the declaration being an usurpation of the Returning Officer’s duty, Ari also announced the results of an election whose collation process had not been concluded. The declaration of Binani led to tension within the state and elicited great debate across the nation, with observers calling what transpired in Adamawa State a coup against democracy.
But in a swift reaction, INEC declared the announcement Of Binani null and void, adding that the pronouncement is of no effect.
Consequently, INEC suspended the collation of results of the supplementary election and invited the REC, Returning Officer and all officials involved to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The commission has now officially suspended Ari.
According to Oriaran-Anthony, Ari should stay away from the commission’s office until further notice.
“I hereby convey the Commission’s decision that you (Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari), Resident Electoral Commissioner, Adamawa State should stay away from the Commission’s office immediately until further notice.
“The Administrative Secretary has been directed to take full charge of INEC, Adamawa State, with immediate effect,” she said.