The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Interpol, Garba Umar, who heads the Election Planning Monitoring and Evaluation team, had written to Mr Ari, inviting him for an ‘interview’ scheduled for Friday 5 May.
The suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Hudu Ari, is now in the custody of the police, the force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said Tuesday.
Mr Adejobi said in a statement that the Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Team of the police has arrested Mr Ari.
Mr Ari is the INEC official who illegally declared Aishatu Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the winner of the Adamawa State governorship election, a day after the supplementary election.
Since he made the illegal declaration, Mr Ari has not been seen in public and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it was unaware of Mr Ari’s whereabouts as he had neither responded to letters, messages and phone calls to his line nor responded to the commission’s directive that he should present himself at the INEC headquarters.
But the suspended REC in an interview aired on Tuesday told the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Commission, BBC Hausa, that he had written to INEC.
He also said he was going to honour an invitation he got from the police.
“I wrote a letter to INEC. I was told they did not receive it, but I’m sure they’ve received it,” he said. “This invitation from the police, I will honour it,” he said, claiming he never went into hiding.
Mr Ari also claimed to have declared Ms Dahiru, popularly called Binani, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the election because she polled 428,173 votes. He also claimed that Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 422,303 votes.
Police Invite and Arrest
The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Interpol, Garba Umar, who heads the Election Planning Monitoring and Evaluation team, had written to Mr Ari, inviting him for an ‘interview’ scheduled for Friday 5 May.
“This Bureau is investigating a case of Conduct likely to Cause Breach of Peace, Violation of Oath of Neutrality, Impersonating a Collation/Returning Officer, Disobedience to lawful Order/Directive, Impersonation and Announcing False Governorship Result of the just concluded Adamawa State Governorship supplementary election of 15th April, 2023 in which your name featured prominently,” part of the invitation date, 27 April and sighted by PREMIUM TIMES, reads.
“In view of the above, you are hereby requested to report at the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja office, Police Force Headquarters, Shehu Shagari Way, Central Area, Abuja to interview the Assistant Inspector General of Police, INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja on Friday 5 May, 2023 at 1000hrs.”
The police have, however, confirmed that Mr Ari is in custody, adding that other officials and individuals culpable in the saga are being interrogated by the Election Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Team.
“Barrister Ari, who was arrested by the Police Election Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Team in Abuja on Tuesday 2nd May, 2023, is currently in police custody and is being grilled to ascertain the motives and motivations behind his alleged improper actions during the supplementary elections in Adamawa state,” the force spokesperson said.
“The inspector-general of police has given clear assurance that every individual involved/indicted in the matter will be apprehended and investigated in line with the provisions of the law for possible prosecution.”
Backstory
A day after the supplementary governorship election that was held on 15 April, Mr Ari, who was not the official empowered by law to declare results, declared Binani as the winner of the elections.
At the time, Binani was trailing the incumbent and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmadu Fintiri.
The commission’s headquarters quickly reacted by saying Mr Ari’s declaration was null, void and of no effect.
Both INEC and President Buhari have authorised Mr Ari’s suspension from office and his investigation and possible prosecution by the police.
The Inspector General of Police also ordered the removal of the Commissioner of Police in Adamawa, Mohammed Barde, who was present at the collation centre when Mr Ari made the illegal declaration.
The Returning Officer, Muhammad Mele, who is the official with the powers to declare the results according to the electoral act 2022, later continued the collation of results and announced the incumbent governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the election.
He said Mr Fintiri polled a total of 430,861 votes to defeat Binani, who scored 398,788 votes.
Mr Finitiri and his deputy governor-elect have also been presented with certificates of return by INEC.
Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe