The Governor of Adamawa State, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, has welcomed the arrest of the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner of Adamawa State, Yunusa Hudu-Ari, by the police.
The government said it welcomed the development, noting it remained an important first step in upholding the rule of law.
Governor Fintiri, who spoke through his Director General of Media and Communications, Government House Yola, Solomon Kumangar, also asked the authorities concerned to ensure diligent prosecution of the case to its logical conclusion.
In a terse statement signed by Kumangar, Fintiri described the failed electoral heist as a civilian coup that must not conform to the narratives of the nation’s “Nation’s penchant for impunity and circumvention of the rule of law.”
The government said the news of Ari’s arrest had reassured aggrieved citizens that justice would take its full course.
He said, “Our demands as have been reiterated over and over again; it’s for justice to run its full course and for everyone involved in this electoral heist of the ignoble declaration of a failed candidate of the All Progressive Congress as the winner of the election when the collation of election results, yet to be concluded, to face the full wrath of the law.
“The arrest of Yunusa Hudu-Ari is an important first step in maintaining the sanctity of the electoral law and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It is also reassuring to our aggrieved citizens who have persevered through the sleight and sneer of those who believe willy nilly that our demand for justice may never see the light of day given the nation’s penchant for impunity and circumvention of the rule of law. We see 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 to serve as lesson for posterity.”
The government noted that all the while that Hudu had remained at large, he had continued to do more harm than good.
“The governor has said he wants justice. As far as Governor Ahmadu Fintiri is concerned, the arrest of Hudu is good news. So long as Hudu is at large, he has continued to sow the embers of discord, misinformation and half truths about the real motives for his actions and his ignominious role in the sad event of March 16th April, 2015, where he tried with the assistance of compromised security agents, including the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde; DSS Director Bulama and NSCDC Commandant to force an unpopular choice on the citizens of Adamawa State by way of a ‘civilian coup’, ” Solomon further stated.
