The embattled Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State Hudi Yunusa-Ari on Monday failed to appear in court where he was to be arraigned.
This follows the failure of the police to serve the hearing notice to Yunusa-Ari.
Justice Benjamin Manji of the State High Court in Yola subsequently ordered INEC to produce him in court during its next sitting on November 23, 2023.
According to the prosecution counsel to INEC Justice Rotimi Jacobs, efforts by the police to serve the defendant the hearing notice failed because he was never at home and so could not be reached. The defendant’s surety also could not be traced.
The presiding judge however, wondered why the police who granted him bail through a surety could get neither the defendant nor the surety.
He, therefore, granted the prosecution counsel’s request of two weeks for the defendant to appear before the court
Yunusa-Ari is facing a six-count charge over the role he played in the 2023 governorship election in Adamawa state.
Following the conclusion of the supplementary governorship on April 15th, the suspended REC announced the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Aishatu Ahmed Binani as the winner midway into the collation of results.
His action attracted widespread condemnation with INEC voiding the declaration and placing him on an indefinite suspension.
