I had nothing to do with either Binani or Fintiri – Yunusa-Ari

Barrister Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the embattled Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa State who was suspended, has refuted the widely-repeated claim that he accepted N2 billion in exchange for declaring Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani the victor of the governorship election in Adamawa State.

He stated this while speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service. Although he made the statement in the middle of the election, Hudu claimed he had no remorse at all.

Yunusa noted that it was his responsibility to announce the result which was backed by law. 

He revealed that he was ready to present himself to the police this week, even as he argued that neither the DSS nor the Nigerian Police came searching for him as was widely spread.

He said, ” I never said the Governor bribed anyone, but I knew there were allegations.”

“I swear, I had nothing to do with either Binani or Fintiri. All these stories about the N2 billion bribe were social media hype.”

” I have no regrets whatsoever, when you do something that was allowed to be done in a democracy, there are no regrets,” he said.

Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani was the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Adamawa State during the 2023 election.

Binani was running alongside the incumbent governor of the state, Ahmadu Fintiri. During the April 28 re-run, Yunusa-Ari announced Binani winner while the collation of results was still ongoing. His action led to his suspension and immediate removal from office.