Adamawa gov’t exited over Hudu’s arrest, says he doesn’t deserve to walk around free

Reaction has trailed the arrest and detention of the embattled Resident Election Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, describing it as a vital step towards justice.

The suspended INEC Commissioner in Adamawa was arrested on Tuesday by the Nigeria Police and was taken into custody for investigation and prosecution over his illegal declaration of Senator Aishatu Binani as elected governor of Adamawa State.

Binani, a female Senator contested the 2023 governorship on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC against the incumbent governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The development has led to his suspension from office and he has been declared wanted by the Police.

In a statement by Adamawa State government which was made available to journalists on Tuesday in Yola, it described the arrest as a big relief and proof that the long arm of the law will always catch up with a felon as he doesn’t deserve to be walking around free.

The statement by the Director General of Media and Publicity to the Governor, Mr Solomon Kumangar, said while Hudu was at large, he had continued to stoke the embers of discord, misinformation and half truths about the real motive for his actions and his role in the event of March 16th April, 2023 “when he tried to force an unpopular choice on the citizens of Adamawa State by way of a ‘civilian coup’.”

According to the government, its demands have always been for justice to run its full course and for everyone involved in the false declaration of winner of the state governorship election to face the full wrath of the law.
“The arrest of Yunusa-Ari is an important first step in maintaining the sanctity of the electoral law and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the government said.

It added, “We hope that a new Nigeria is possible and welcome the arrest of Hudu and ask the police and all relevant investigating agencies to ensure due diligence in the prosecution of this case to its logical conclusion.”