- Fintiri: I will Arrest, Prosecute Ari
- Lai Mohammed: Gov lacks such powers, only INEC can sanction Ari
By Charles Adingupu
The crisis that erupted at the just concluded Adamawa dramatic governorship election will continue to remain a reference point in Nigeria’s convoluted political history as the federal government, President Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri engaged one another in fierce argument over whose purview the REC Barr. Hudu Ari would be punished.
The Adamawa Governor Elect while addressing newsmen after receiving his Certificate Of Return,(CoR) at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in Abuja, vowed to arrest and prosecute the embattled REC, Ari alongside other yet to be identified police officers and security operatives who aided him while attempting to subvert the will of the People.
“I have vowed to arrest and prosecute the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Ari and the police officers with other security officers who collaborated with him to almost derail the democratic process.
“It’s indeed shameful to know that those who are supposed to defend democracy are the ones trying to Scuttle it. I have made up my mind to punish him, the REC for his actions, and also because the ugly incident happened in my jurisdiction,” Fintiri posited.
In what appears like a swift response to the Adamawa state Governor, the Minister of information, Lai Mohammed at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the State House in Abuja, said that only INEC has the prerogative to punish the REC, because, according to him, Hudu Ari is a staff of the Commission.
His words: nobody has the right to arrest and prosecute Hudu Ari, the REC in Adamawa’s election except INEC because he’s their staff.”
In the same vein, the President Elect, Bola Tinubu at a different occasion, said that only the President, Muhammadu Buhari has the right to discipline the erring REC because he was an appointee of the President.
Tinubu who urged all aggrieved party members to seek redress in legitimate means, assured that issues concerning electoral maladministration would be appropriately addressed.
It would be recalled that Barr. Hudu Ari who was the REC in the just concluded Adamawa state governorship election, caused a stir, as he, in company with some unknown police officers, attempted to derail the democratic exercise by announcing the election results extempore midway.
INEC which described his actions as a usurpation of the powers of the Returning Officer, declared Ari’s announcement of the election results as null and void.
The Commission also announced the REC’s immediate replacement as he was summoned to its headquarters for further investigation.
The Adamawa state governorship election has been concluded with the incumbent Governor, Fintiri declared winner.
