The former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Adamawa State, Barrister Hudu Ari, has doubled down on his claim that Senator Aisha Binani, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, was the rightful winner of the 2023 gubernatorial election.
Speaking to journalists at his private residence in Bauchi State on Saturday, Ari swore by God that his declaration was based on truth and documented evidence, which he claims proves that Binani defeated Governor Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ari, who was suspended in 2023 and officially dismissed last week following National Assembly approval, expressed frustration that his claims of electoral irregularities were ignored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Adamawa Election Petitions Tribunal.
Holding a copy of the Qur’an, he insisted that his actions were in good faith and aligned with electoral laws.
He further alleged that he and other officials were pressured into declaring Fintiri the winner under threats to their safety.
Ari specifically accused INEC’s Head of ICT in Adamawa, Bala Aji, of manipulating the election process by allegedly handing over 20,000 election documents to Governor Fintiri.
According to him, in collaboration with the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies, he raided a private residence allegedly linked to the governor, where electoral fraud was taking place.
“It took time to open the door, and when we finally gained access, we found the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and other officials working with election documents that covered the entire state,” he alleged.
Ari also accused Aji of distributing BVAS machines and bribing INEC staff with foreign currency on Election Day.
He lamented that INEC headquarters ignored his reports despite his attempts to expose electoral malpractice.
According to him, his dismissal was not as concerning as the media trial that had tarnished his reputation.
Denying allegations that he received a 2 billion bribe, Ari stated that he was consulting his family on whether to take legal action.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us, and it is up to us to either make it or mar it,” he remarked.
Reflecting on his tenure, he noted that he successfully conducted the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections without controversy.
However, he insisted that irregularities in 69 polling units during the gubernatorial and State Assembly elections led to the crisis that ultimately resulted in his dismissal.
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