Stop Media Trial, Go to Court and Defend Yourself, INEC Tells Sacked Adamawa REC

The New Diplomat
Writer

Ad

Sanae Takaichi Shatters Glass Ceiling, Becomes Japan’s First Female Prime Minister

By Abiola Olawale ​Sanae Takaichi officially made history on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, by being elected as Japan's first female prime minister following a parliamentary vote. Takaichi, an ultraconservative leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secured the top post after a coalition deal with the right-wing Japan Innovation Party (Ishin no Kai). The 64-year-old…

PDP To Know Fate on Oct 31 as Court Delivers Judgment on National Convention

By Abiola Olawale The political landscape of Nigeria's main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), remains suspended in uncertainty as the Federal High Court in Abuja has set October 31 as the date for judgment in the contentious suit challenging the party’s planned national convention. ​The high-stakes ruling, which follows the conclusion of legal…

Brent Flirts With $60 as Oversupply Fears Deepen

Oil prices continued to inch lower in early Tuesday trading as concerns about oversupply and sagging demand resumed their grip on the market, even as trade-talks between the United States and China offered a glimmer of optimism. At the time of writing, WTI was down 0.52% at $57.22, while Brent had fallen 0.54% to $60.61.…

Ad

By Abiola Olawale

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to claims made by Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, who was sacked following his actions during the 2023 Adamawa governorship election.

INEC called on Yunusa-Ari to defend himself in court rather than through press conferences.

The New Diplomat reports that during the 2023 Adamawa governorship election, Yunusa-Ari prematurely declared Senator Aishatu Dahiru (Binani) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner while the collation of results was still ongoing.

INEC swiftly nullified Yunusa-Ari’s declaration, suspended him on April 17, 2023, and later announced Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the rightful winner.

Yunusa-Ari was dismissed following approval by the National Assembly, and he currently faces multiple legal charges, including alleged misconduct, abuse of office, and illegal electoral interference.

However, Yunusa-Ari, while speaking during a press conference in Bauchi, alleged that INEC suppressed evidence proving Binani’s victory. He claimed to have documentary evidence supporting his actions and denied allegations of accepting a ₦2 billion bribe to declare Binani the winner.

He also accused INEC and the Election Tribunal of ignoring his evidence and claimed he was pressured into declaring Fintiri the winner under threats to his safety.

In a counter-reaction, Chief Press Secretary CPS to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi said that now that the sacked REC is back from hiding, he would do well to go to court to answer to charges against him and prove his innocence.

Oyekanmi said: “In response to your request, our attention has also been drawn to the interview granted by the former REC of Adamawa State, Mr Hudu Yunusa Ari. There is nothing new in what he said.

“In any case, the substantive matter of the 2023 Adamawa State Governorship election has been determined through the appropriate judicial process from the trial Tribunal to the Appeal Tribunal and finally settled by the Supreme Court.

“The Commission will not comment on the propriety or otherwise of his conduct during the concluding part of the election as the matter is right now the subject of litigation at the High Court sitting in Yola, and therefore subjudice.

“Now that he is back in the country, the right place to prove his innocence and the propriety of his action is by availing himself of the due process of law and not a press conference”.

Ad

X whatsapp