Binani: I have no regrets, I acted under the law -Yunusa Ari

Hudu Yunusa Ari, the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa state, has expressed no remorse for his announcement of Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru as the winner of the 2023 governorship election in the state, despite the subsequent annulment of his announcement by INEC headquarters.

During the supplementary election held on April 15, Ari declared Binani, a candidate from the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the victor, while the collation of results was still ongoing. INEC has requested that the police investigate and prosecute Ari for his actions. However, in a recent interview with BBC Hausa, Ari defended his decision, claiming that he had followed the relevant laws before announcing the APC candidate as the Governor-elect.

”I never demanded any gratification from either of Binani or Fintiri. None of the duo sent anything to me; if they have done so by now they will be demanding their monies back.”

On why he announced Binani as “winner” in the first instance, Ari said;

“Votes polled by candidates were disclosed, I don’t have the papers with me here but both in the main and supplementary elections, Binani scored 428, 173 while Fintiri got 422, 303 votes. I have no regrets at all as I acted under the law; it is the law that warranted what I did and it shall absolve me. I will surely turn myself in to the police. Before, there was no summon from the police but now there is one. I will soon come out from hiding.”