Brief on The Man Hudu Yunusa-Ari

Adamu Muhammad Hamid PhD

Pen Resource University, Gombe

Until his appointment as Resident Electoral Commissioner for Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari was secretary to Bauchi State Judicial Service Commission for 8 years; he retired as permanent secretary in Bauchi State civil service, and is a Member of the National Institute (MNI). Amidst his recent controversial announcement of winner of Adamawa guber. Supplementary Elections, Ari was portrayed by the media as dishonest, usurper, ill-motivated, etc. Now, In order to make an informed guess on what probably happened and the circumstance of Hudu’s election result announcement, there is  the need for a brief character sketch of the man according to the people who worked closely with him before his appointment as REC. A person’s profile in most instances supplies one of the necessary domains and contexts for understanding his actions generally in life.

This piece isn’t going to be lengthy because the subject is a reserved personality. Unless it was necessary, Hudu never talked. And when he talked, it was always very brief and to the point. There isn’t much ado, window dressing or pageant in his life. In fact, the circumference of his life was, and still is small.   Hudu hails from Ningi local Government of Bauchi State, and is a graduate of Law from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. All through his career in public service, he was known by his colleagues to be a meticulous and very direct person. His leadership style manifested in clear lime light when he became secretary to the JSC. In the history of the commission, it never had it steadfast and firm on treating complaints against erring judges with dispatch like his time. He was firm and incorruptible. According to sources, judges never wanted their names taken to Yunusa by petitioning litigators. He never minced words; soon as he received a petition, he would swiftly form an investigative committee. And he made sure committees worked within time, and dispassionately dealt with any judges found wanting. So the functioning of the judicial system in Bauchi State, during his times, was near-perfect.

Anywhere in Bauchi State judiciary you mention the name Hudu Yunusa today, the response you get is akin to the sketch of anti-corruption personified. He was a perpendicular highly principled personality, and simply could not bend to anybody’s whims and caprices against what he saw and believed to be true. Over the issues of rights and justice, so recalcitrant and intransigent was he that superiors never involved him in any issue soaked in vested interest. But over the rights of his subordinates, he would never sleep until the right thing was done.

When on VOA interview over election result declaration controversy Hudu was challenging anyone claiming to have bribed him at any level of public service to come forward and declare, only few understood what he was saying. He literally meant he had never collected bribe throughout his life as public servant. Persons close to him pleading anonymity told yours sincerely recently that there was an attempt by politicians to compromise Hudu during the Adamawa State elections to the tune of N2b, but he rejected. On the issue of rendering trust and justice, Hudu is as firm  and hard as granite.

Again, Hudu is a Mulim not at nominal level, but a devout one. He did not promise what he did not fulfil. He would always resound the Prophetic tradition that Allah curses bribe taker and bribe giver and admonishments like this one. He prayed the Five-Time Muslim daily Prayers always in congregation. That’s probably why he’s widely networked with serious Muslim organisations like the MSSN.

Hudu was never known to have cocked a gun unless he was ready to shoot. Anybody who knew him wouldn’t be surprised that he came early morning to announce the Adamawa guber. supplementary election result in that controversial circumstance. Nonetheless, the most important thing now which, true to his character, is he still insists he has not regretted anything in his results declaration. And come sunshine come high waters, he stood by the result he declared. Now reading the personality type of Hudu-Ari, one was cock sure that for him to take such a damning risky decision to shun the Adamawa State Guber. Returning Officer and go ahead with announcing results, a lot would have been there beyond the eyes can see now. Most risky was the fact that the person he was returning as winner and governor isn’t the incumbent. 

Going by his character sketch, Hudu would never announce any result that is not correctly transmitted to him. So where did he get the results he announced? Was there parallel collations or collusion in collation process? The Nigerian Police must live to its integrity and trust to tell the world what truly happened. All the public allegations about attempts to compromise him by politicians must also be thoroughly investigated and revealed for Nigeria’s democracy to grow and go beyond pretense.  

To say that Hudu was dishonest, imposter or a rogue is simply non sequitur. 

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