The Adamawa State Government has dismissed as false, the claim by sacked Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa Ari, that Senator Aisha Binani won the 2023 governorship election in the state.
In a statement released to media practitioners in the state, by Solomon Kumangar, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, the government described Ari’s assertion as baseless and unsubstantiated.
“The dismissed REC, who has turned himself into a fugitive, has never provided any evidence to support his claim,” the statement read.
The government emphasized that Ari, as a REC, had no legal authority to declare election results, as that responsibility solely belongs to the returning officer, an ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Kumangar accused Ari of attempting to mislead the public by repeating falsehoods, adding that the ex-REC’s partisanship was evident in his violation of electoral laws and the oath of office he swore to uphold.
“Hudu was caught on tape begging a local government returning officer to help a woman, claiming the directive was from above. Yet, he has never provided any evidence of the result he used for his illegal declaration,” Kumangar said.
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He further noted that no court had prevented Ari from testifying, adding that it was the petitioner’s legal team that withdrew him from appearing at the election tribunal, knowing that he lacked the power to declare a winner.
“If Hudu claims he was stopped from appearing in court, he should come out of hiding and face the pending case against him at the Adamawa State High Court. This is an opportunity for him to clear his name,” Kumangar stated.
The state government reaffirmed that there was no legal or factual basis for Ari’s claim that Binani won the 2023 election, insisting that Governor Ahmadu Fintiri remains the legitimate winner of the polls.
