INEC To Decide Suspended Adamawa, Abia REC’s Fate As Police Conclude Probe

By Sola Omoniyi, Lagos

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will soon inform Nigerians of its decision on the embattled Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Abia State and his counterpart in Sokoto State.

“The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Sokoto State and also the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Abia State are not on their duty post as of now.” INEC spokesman, Festus Okoye said on Thursday.

“Very soon, the commission will take a position relating to what happens to them. The moment the commission takes a position, it will be communicated to Nigerians.”

Before the March 18 governorship elections, INEC withdrew the REC in Abia, Ike Uzochukwu; and his Sokoto counterpart, Nura Ali, for allegedly endangering the process by bungling logistics and for failing to make declarations for all the National Assembly seats respectively. The electoral umpire said the two RECs committed the offences during the February 25 poll and did not allow them to officiate during the governorship and state assembly polls.

Asked on Thursday whether any decision had been taken on Uzochukwu and Ali, Okoye said the commission will soon make its position known.

He also said the commission would “soon” take action on the case of its suspended REC in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, noting that Yunusa-Ari’s matter is “completely different” from those of his colleagues in Sokoto and Abia.

“The issue around the Sokoto REC and the issue around the Abia REC are completely different from issues surrounding the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa State.

“They are completely different, but in terms of these two Resident Electoral Commissioners (Sokoto and Abia), very soon, the commission will take a position and Nigerians will be informed of the position of the commission,” Okoye said.