…What dare the INEC’s six count charges?
… Could the INEC be made to apologise as Hudu’s prayer before the law?
…Hudu-nated salvation of democracy under multiple trials; Media, Court of Public Opinion, Police, INEC, Before the Law, to justify and/or otherwise the Hudu-nation of electoral injustice against the electrocution of the electorate’s mandate – Literary Critic
The Periscope Global
…The hearing of Hudu’s suit earlier filed before a federal high court sitting in Abuja, seeking INEC’s apology, slated for 1st June for which judgment is reserved, was not adequately publicised than the INEC’s six-count charge…
…In the suit, Hudu wants the apology published in two national dailies, for the unlawful and unconditional media trials and negative press interviews, press statements/releases, social media posts, publications etc against the applicant for carrying out his duties as the REC in Adamawa State during the supplementary governorship election held on April 15, 2023…
…Listed with INEC as respondents in the suit are the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS)…
…I acted within my powers to announce the winner of the election based on valid results collated by the legally appointed and recognised collation officers for the election. The action was meant to forestall a breakdown of law and order and to prevent further manipulation of the election process…
…On the day of the election, some armed policemen from the state Government House stormed his house at about 10am and held him on house arrest to prevent him from engaging in his lawful duties. It took the intervention of the Commissioner of Police, who sent Mobile Policemen to my house and when the policemen at my house heard that a call was made to the Commissioner of Police, the policemen from Government House fled in a White Toyota Hilux Van…
…The media trial embarked upon with distorted facts by the respondents particularly the 5th respondent are intended to give me bad name as a cover up for the wrongs done by agents of the 5th respondent in the Adamawa supplementary governorship election held on the 15th April 2023…
…A staff of the DSS on intelligence gathering on the money allegedly given to the National Commissioners was also disarmed, abducted, taken to Government House Yola and assaulted by police from Government House, Yola and thugs loyal to the PDP…
…The action of the National Commissioners and threats by political parties over the process of collating results created an atmosphere of violence that almost marred the election and most of the stakeholders were scared and refused to continue with the election process including the Returning Officer (RO)…
…Prior to the declaration, there was an intelligence report made available to me that the two National Commissioners of the 5th respondent were at the Government House Yola, at 8:31pm on 15/04/2023 Adamawa State and held a meeting with the State Governor…
However, the INEC suit against Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari, the suspended Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, was awash with media reports, taking different angles as though celebrating the development, it has indeed generated different opinions. A news report to that effect read thus:
“INEC files six-count charge against suspended Adamawa REC Ari …as Court fixes July 12 for commencement of trial
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has filed a six-count charge against a suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Barr Yunusa Hudu Ari.
“In a statement on Thursday, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the electoral body took the action after reviewing the case file from the police which established a prima facie case against Ari.
“Having reviewed the case file from the Police which established a prima facie case against Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari, the Commission has filed a six-count charge against him at the Adamawa State High Court sitting in Yola. Consequently, the Court has fixed Wednesday 12th July 2023 for the commencement of trial,” the statement read.
However, sharing an opinion, it was pointed out that just like a petition to a query issued to a public servant or a petition before ombudsmen, the INEC’s was a six-count charge that Hudu and/or his counsels have the right of defence to justify his action in salvaging what he considered as electoral fraud capable of demeaning democracy.
That the incorruptible Hudu, as he’s being addressed, is currently in Mecca among the Alhaj from Nigeria. If he were a criminal before the law, waiting for justice, he wouldn’t have been allowed to travel out of the country for whatever reason, ritual or religious rite.
Therefore, prosecution isn’t new a news, it’s the judgment that can be celebrated…