Adamawa INEC REC raises the alarm about threat to life

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Hudu Haruna Ari has alleged that there is threat to his life while the State Police Command has said that his security is not guaranteed.

Hudu Haruna Ari made the allegation while interacting with journalists at his Bauchi residence on Tuesday shortly after he returned from Abuja.

He however assured that though his life was under threat, he would ensure that INEC delivered a free, fair, credible and acceptable election in the state.

He stressed that, “As REC, I don’t belong to any political party, I don’t have a soft spot for any of the candidates, they are all the same to me. I have no reason to be biased against any of the candidates or political party.”

The governorship election in the state was declared inconclusive in the state and another date has been set for conclusion.

Though 15th of April has been set by INEC headquarters to conclude all outstanding supplementary elections across the country, the Adamawa INEC REC said that he was waiting further directives from the headquarters on what to do.

Ari said that the election became inconclusive in line with the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act as amended because of circumstances suronding the conduct of elections at that time.

Read also:Rivers PDP members continue protest at INEC office

According to him, there were a lot of discrepancies in the results sheets from Fufore LGA saying, “There were figures for State Assembly in the governorship election. There was no way we can declare such results.”

He explained that there were reports of ballot box snatching by unknown persons adding that there were three different results from different sources which could not be reconciled.

The INEC REC said that no arrest was made by the security agencies as the unknown persons went away with the ballot box as well as the results sheet for the LGA.

“I had a discussion with the Chief Collation and Returning Officer, the VC of University of Maiduguri, Prof Mohammmed Mele. I told him that we cannot declare any results because of the discrepancies in the three results brought and we agreed to reconcile them before we can make any declarations”, he said.

He added that,”I am the Chairman of the Inter Agencies Committee of Elections Security while the Commissioner of Police is the co-chair, he insisted that we must declare the result because if we did not do that, he cannot guarantee my security in Adamawa State.”

He condemned the threat to his life saying that, “We had to pass the night at the Barracks. It was very unfortunate that things have reached such a dimension. On the second day when we reconvened at about 3pm, the atmosphere was not conducive, we were rescued by military personnel.”

Hudu Haruna also said that as soon as he was convinced that there was a move of compromise by some INEC officials, he swiftly ordered for their replacement assuring that he will not spare any official ready to compromise.

Asked about the call for review of the elections in the state, Hudu Haruna said that it was the National Headquarters of INEC that had the final decision on the issue assuring that he, as REC was ready to do whatever he is directed to do by the Headquarters.

By Yemi Kanji

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