On Monday, 18 December 2023, his attorney, Suleiman Usman (SAN), told the court that his client’s health prevented him from appearing and entering a plea.
Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has avoided arraignment four times.
Yunusa-Ari was reportedly taken to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi last Friday, 15 December 2023, after collapsing. He was scheduled to appear before the Adamawa State High Court on Monday, 18 December 2023.
Usman informed the court that Yunusa-Ari, his client, had now left the Niger Republic and was back in Nigeria, specifically in Bauchi State. He claimed that Yunusa-Ari’s health prevented him from attending the hearing.
He stated that they had submitted a medical report that showed his client’s poor condition, which was received from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital.
Additionally, he presented a letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation instructing the court to temporarily halt Yunusa-Ari’s prosecution while the Court of Appeal Abuja Division considers an appeal filed by Aishatu Binani, the APC Governorship Candidate.
Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the Prosecution’s Attorney, attested to receiving word that the defendant had passed out before going to trial.
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He claims that the defendant has been trying to delay his trial by sending letters and submitting motion after motion. He emphasized, therefore, that the only option available to him at this time was for the court to issue an arrest warrant.
But the court led by Justice Manji angrily declared that it would not accept the AGF’s letter and threatened to shut down the court since the defendant was driving it to its breaking point.
Recall that on Monday, the Court rejected Binani’s case and upheld Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s election win.
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