AfriPulse
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), on Wednesday, May 10, said that it will file a petition against the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Adamawa state, Hudu Yunusa-Ari.
The REC, who is also a lawyer, is under investigation for his role in the controversial declaration of Aishatu Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the April 15 supplementary governorship election.
The chairman, Section of Public Interest and Development (SPIDEL) of NBA, Monday Ubani, made this known on Wednesday, May 10.
Ubani said that the NBA is planning to file a petition against Yunusa-Ari as a member of the Bar.
He said that, “It sends the right signal that we are a nation that wants to protect our integrity.
“This is one of the suggestions that were made; that a body like NBA should not allow such a man who brought what I would consider a national disgrace to NBA to go scot-free.”
Ubani noted that there is a need to follow up on the matter to see to the conclusion of the anomalies.
He stated that, “If he is innocent, let us be told that he is innocent, and if he is not innocent, then the next thing that should follow is prosecution.
“This is because it sends the right signal that we are a nation that wants to protect our integrity,” he added.
The human rights lawyer further noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not have the power to investigate crime under the legal framework in the country.
According to Ubani, the police are the lead prosecutor in cases of this nature.
He said that, “It is the Nigerian Police that does investigation in the country, so if a matter is alleged to fall into the realm of crime, it is the police that carries out the responsibility.
“Even if INEC would prosecute him, there must be an investigation first by a body authorized to do that.”
Recall that Yunusa-Ari stirred controversy by declaring Dahiru as the winner when the collation of the results was yet to be completed.
However, INEC declared the announcement null and void and summoned the REC to its headquarters in Abuja.
Subsequently, the electoral umpire wrote to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to prosecute Yunusa-Ari over the electoral infraction.
Also, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the suspension of the Adamawa REC pending the completion of an investigation by the police.
The electoral umpire, on April 21, said that it was not aware of the whereabouts of Yunusa-Ari.
However, the NPF, on May 2, arrested the suspended REC over his conduct during the governorship election in Adamawa state.
Source: TheStreetJournal | Read More
