The suspended Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in Adamawa state, Hudu Yunusa Ari, says he has no regrets about announcing Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the 2023 governorship election in the state.
Recall that on April 16, Ari unilaterally announced Binani as the winner of the April 15 supplementary election in the state while the collation of results was ongoing. His announcement was later annulled by INEC headquarters. INEC has since written to the police demanding that Ari be investigated and prosecuted.
In his recent interview with BBC Hausa, Ari argued that he acted within the confines of relevant laws before declaring the APC candidate as the Governor-elect.
“I never demanded any gratification from either of Binani or Fintiri. None of the duo sent anything to me; if they have done so by now they will be demanding their monies back.”
On why he announced Binani as “winner” in the first instance, Ari said;
“Votes polled by candidates were disclosed, I don’t have the papers with me here but both in the main and supplementary elections, Binani scored 428, 173 while Fintiri got 422, 303 votes. I have no regrets at all as I acted under the law; it is the law that warranted what I did and it shall absolve me. I will surely turn myself in to the police. Before, there was no summon from the police but now there is one. I will soon come out from hiding.”