By Adesina Soyooye
One of the wives of Hudu Yunisa-Ari, the suspended Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner, Adamawa, is bound to spend a lonely period during the end of year festivities stretching to New Year celebrations of 1st January, 2024, unless her husband obeys the law.
While she is in their home State of Bauchi, her husband has escaped to Niger Republic to stay with his other wife there.
Hudu ran to Niger Republic to, apparently, evade his arraignment in Court. He was billed to appear before an Adamawa State High Court on Wednesday, but the Court was told that Hudu, a Lawyer, has fled to Niger Republic. That would be the second time he would be absent in Court. His first absence was on November 6, 2023. That day, his Counsel, Dr. Suleiman Usman, SAN, had told the Court, presided over by Justice Benjamin Lawan, that he was unaware of his client’s whereabouts.
But on Wednesday when he was absent again, Dr Suleiman told the Court that he now knew Hudu’s whereabouts. He informed that Hudu fled to the Niger Republic to, obviously, find comfort in the arms of one his two wives who lives there. The other wife lives in Bauchi.
He pleaded with the Court to give him Hudu’s service to take to him, but it was a plea the Honourable Justice Lawan refused, and insisted that the run-away REC must be served in person.
Hudu ran into trouble when he deliberately and illegally usurped the job of the INEC Returning Officer, Adamawa, in the Governorship Election and mischievously declared the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Aishatu Ahmed, popular as Binani, winner of the election. She contested against the incumbent Governor Ahmed Fintiri who, at the time Hudu declared Binani winner, was in a comfortable lead.
An embarrassed INEC Leadership suspended Hudu from office. Muhammadu Buhari, then Nigeria’s President, approved the suspension. Hudu was later arrested and dragged to Court. However, he has not been seen since then.
Earlier on Wednesday, Prosecution Counsels, O. A. Atolabi and F. T. Ekyaan, brought an application which urged the Court to issue them with warrant of arrest against Hudu, since he was nowhere to be found.
But the Honourable Justice Lawan declined their request, since according to him, the defendant’s Counsels have assured the Court they would produce him at the next hearing.
The matter was adjourned to December 6 for Hudu’s arraignment.
