From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Inter-Advisory Council (IPAC) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fire and prosecute the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Ari.
Ari, during the governorship poll in Adamawa wrongly declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aisha Binani Dahiru, as winner of the contest.
Although INEC had invalidated the announcement, IPAC Chairman, Yabaji Sani, in a statement insisted on Ari’s removal.
Sani, also, called for a review of the process in appointing RECs, noting that some of them are partisan and ignorant of their statutory duties and will go out of their way to foist their preferred candidates, which will invariably subvert the will and mandate of the people.
“The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) strongly condemns the illegal, unconstitutional and unwarranted declaration of Adamawa State governorship supplementary election result by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa Ari on Sunday 16th April 2023, while collation of results was in progress. It is outrageous and a mockery of the nation’s emerging democracy which has caused undue tension in the polity.
“IPAC demands the immediate sack and prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ari and his accomplices in this deliberate assault on our hard earned democracy to serve as a deterrent to others who would contemplate such heinous crime against the fatherland.
“The need for Electoral Offences Commission to try electoral offenders cannot be overemphasized.
“It is inconceivable that a Resident Electoral Commissioner would usurp the powers of the Returning Officer and announce the result of a governorship supplementary election, more so, when the collation of results was ongoing.
“It is a sad commentary in the nation’s electoral process and a dent on INEC as an umpire. However, the swift response of the national leadership of the commission in reversing this theatre of the absurd and suspending the errant Resident Electoral Commissioner is commendable in the quest for free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive elections in Nigeria.
“INEC should justify the confidence the populace reposed in it and do the right thing as we collectively consolidate our democracy.
“IPAC reiterates its call for a review of the process in appointing Resident Electoral Commissioners as some of them are partisan and ignorant of their statutory duties and will go out of their way to foist their preferred candidates, thus subvert the will and mandate of the people which could lead to political upheavals.
“Council will strongly resist any attempt to impose an unpopular leader on fellow compatriots.
“The ballot is sacrosanct and must be respected as power belongs to the people. Anything short of this is unacceptable,” he said.