Former Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barrister Hudu Ari, has reaffirmed his assertion that Senator Aisha Binani, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the 2023 gubernatorial election, was the legitimate winner of the contest.
In a press conference held at his private residence in Bauchi State on Saturday, Ari declared that he is ready to stand by his claims, asserting that his actions were grounded in truth and supported by evidence.
He maintained that he possesses documentary proof indicating that Binani triumphed over the incumbent governor, Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ari, who was suspended in 2023 and formally dismissed last week following National Assembly approval, expressed his frustration that his evidence of electoral irregularities was overlooked by both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Adamawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
During the press briefing, he held a copy of the Qur’an, emphasizing that his actions were taken in good faith and in accordance with electoral guidelines.
He alleged that he and other electoral officials faced pressure to declare Governor Fintiri the winner under threats to their safety.
Ari also accused INEC’s Head of ICT in Adamawa State, Bala Aji, of manipulating the election process by providing approximately 20,000 election documents to the governor.
He claimed that he, along with the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies, conducted a raid on a private residence allegedly associated with the governor, where electoral malpractices were purportedly occurring.
“It took a considerable amount of time to open the door, and upon our eventual entry, we discovered the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and other officials handling election documents that spanned the entire state,” he alleged.
Moreover, Ari accused Aji of distributing BVAS machines and bribing INEC staff with foreign currency on Election Day.
“This constituted a clear abuse of responsibility, and I took immediate action against these occurrences, anticipating intervention from INEC headquarters. Unfortunately, my reports were disregarded,” he lamented.
He asserted that he was not afforded a fair hearing by either INEC or the Tribunal, stating that his evidence supporting Binani’s victory was dismissed without adequate consideration.
His primary concern, he emphasized, was not his dismissal by the President but the “media trial” that has tarnished his reputation.
In response to allegations that he accepted a ₦2 billion bribe from politicians, Ari categorically denied such claims.
He mentioned that he is currently consulting with his family regarding the possibility of pursuing legal action, adding, “Nigeria belongs to all of us, and it is up to us to either build it or break it.”
Reflecting on his time in Adamawa, he noted that he successfully oversaw the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections without controversy.
However, he asserted that irregularities in 69 polling units during the gubernatorial and State Assembly elections led to the crisis that ultimately culminated in his dismissal.
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