The prosecution of Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, has been halted by Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The order was given to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in response to Yunusa-Ari’s early announcement of Senator Aishatu “Binani” Dahiru as the victor of the April 15 Adamawa governorship election.
The order was issued by Justice Okorowo in response to an ex-parte motion filed by Dahiru’s solicitor, Mike Aondoaka.
The court ruled that because the case is before a tribunal and the parties have submitted to the law, the parties shall retain the status quo pending the outcome of the complaint.
At the start of the complaint, counsel for the applicant filed two petitions with the court: a move to interpret Section 144 of the Electoral Act 2022 and an order to maintain the status quo in the matter pending the outcome of the suit.
In his application, the senior lawyer drew the court’s attention to the fact that the matter is before a tribunal and is time-bound, whereas Hudu Yunusa Ari, his star witness, is being harassed and prevented from giving evidence before the tribunal, which if continues, will jeopardize the process.
In the case before a governorship tribunal disputing INEC’s designation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and governor of the state, Ahmadu Fintiri, as the winner, the lawyer begged the court to stop harassing Yunusa-Ari.
According to the lawyer, because the petitioner has been declared by INEC, the declaration can only be legally and legitimately revoked if necessary by a court of competent jurisdiction or a tribunal.
Senator Dahiru had already filed a complaint with a sister court headed over by Justice Inyang Ekwo. However, the matter was dropped after the applicants submitted a notice of discontinuance.
