The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner of Adamawa State, Hudu Ari, has gone missing. INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, disclosed this information during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday.
Hudu Ari stirred controversy when he announced the supplementary governorship election results in Adamawa State, illegally declaring Senator Aisha Dahiru as the election winner. INEC later overruled his decision and summoned him to Abuja.
According to Festus Okoye, Ari has failed to report to INEC and his whereabouts remain unknown. “We don’t know where he is because, after this particular incident, the Commission wrote him and also called him on the phone. He never returned any of the calls, he never answered any of the calls. We asked him to report to the Commission on Sunday we didn’t see him, we asked him to report on Monday we didn’t see him. So up till this moment, he has not reported and we don’t know his whereabouts.”
When asked if Ari would be declared wanted for not responding to the Commission or answering its calls, Okoye stated that the responsibility lies with the Nigerian Police.
On Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a probe of all the security operatives involved in the illegal act. Governor Ahmadu Fintiri was officially declared the winner of the election on Tuesday.
