ADAMAWA: Ari’s action’s an aberration – Okoye

THE INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Voter Education, Festus Okoye, has condemned Hudu Ari, the resident electoral commissioner of Adamawa State, for his behavior and labeled it an aberration.

INEC has suspended Ari due to Ari’s contentious declaration of the Supplementary Governorship Election results in Adamawa State before the collation process was complete.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily today, Okoye asserted that Ari’s actions stood apart from those of other INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners in other states throughout the nation.

“What he did is just an aberration, I know that we have very fine Resident Electoral Commissioners in various states of the federation and they know the extent of their powers and they have been conforming to the duties assigned to them by the commission.

“So I want to view his behaviours as an isolated event and do not represent what our Resident Electoral Commissioners are all about because I know that some of them work assiduously to ensure that we delivered on our mandate,” Okoye said.

President Muhammadu Buhari authorized Ari’s immediate suspension from his position yesterday, pending the outcome of the Inspector General of Police’s probe into the behavior and activities of the REC during the Supplementary election in Adamawa State.

According to the INEC National Commissioner, the Commission has started the process of prosecuting the controversial Adamawa REC after receiving a report from the Inspector General of Police.

“We wrote to the Inspector General of Police and Secretary to the Government of the Federation. We have received a response from the Inspector General of Police and they have already commenced an investigation.

“My understanding is that the moment the Inspector General of Police concludes the investigation regarding the REC and every other individual who is involved and a prima facie case is established against the REC the file will be made available to the commission and the commission will begin prosecution of the REC,” he added.