The suspended Adamawa State resident electoral commissioner Hudu Ari’s whereabouts are unknown, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
After his inaction during the Adamawa supplemental governor’s election, the commission made this information public.
Festus Okoye, the national commissioner for INEC, revealed this on Friday during an interview with Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
According to reports Ari’s declaration of Binani as the election’s victor while the results of the collation were still being tallied caused controversy.
The electoral umpire called Ari to its Abuja offices .
On Thursday, the commission informed President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retired) of Ari’s inaction, and Buhari decided to suspend Ari until the outcome of an investigation by the Inspector General of Police into the matter.
“We don’t know where he is because, after this particular incident, the Commission wrote him and also called him on the phone. He never returned any of the calls, he never answered any of the calls.
“We asked him to report to the Commission on Sunday we didn’t see him, we asked him to report on Monday we didn’t see him. So up till this moment, he has not reported and we don’t know his whereabouts,” Okoye said.
Okoye added that the police must issue an arrest warrant for Ari after he failed to show up for work or return calls from the commission.
“Well, that is the responsibility of the Nigerian police. If they feel that his presence is absolutely needed during the investigation and he is nowhere to be found, it is their prerogative and discretion to declare him wanted.
“We wrote to the Inspector General of Police and Secretary to the Government of the Federation. We have received a response from the Inspector General of Police and they have already commenced an investigation.
“My understanding is that the moment the Inspector General of Police concludes the investigation regarding the REC and every other individual who is involved and a prima facie case is established against the REC the file will be made available to the commission and the commission will begin prosecution of the REC,” he said.
