N23.29b ‘Bribe’: Ex-Rivers REC, 99 Others To Face Trial #Ontopnigeria
About 100 Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) officials are likely to face trial for indictment in the
N23.29b bribe during the 2015 elections. They will face
internal disciplinary action before being handed over to the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for
prosecution, The Nation learnt. EFCC Chairman Ibrahim
Magu and INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu are to meet on
the interim report on the scandal.
They will face internal disciplinary action before being
handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) for prosecution, The Nation learnt.
EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu and INEC Chairman
Mahmood Yakubu are to meet on the interim report on the
scandal.
The report, The Nation learnt, indicts two Resident Electoral
Commissioners – Gesil Khan, Mr. Slyvester Ezeani – 16
directors and 82 others.
Some of those indicted have refunded money and a few
others have their assets confiscated by EFCC.
A source in the EFCC, who spoke in confidence, said: "We are
set for the trial of the indicted INEC officials. We are making
the interim report of our investigation available to INEC any
moment from now.
"We have a major challenge in INEC. The electoral
commission said its rules and regulations do not allow it to
hand over the indicted officers to the EFCC for prosecution.
"It said once a report is filed by the anti-graft commission,
the INEC management will invoke internal disciplinary
mechanism since the allegations are on election matters.
After the disciplinary action, the EFCC can arraign them in
court.
"We are trying to follow due process as much as possible. So
far, INEC has cooperated in releasing all those invited for
questioning.
"Once the EFCC and INEC chairmen meet in the next few
days, we will then know where we are going."
A National Commissioner, who spoke in confidence, said:
"We are awaiting the report of the EFCC and when we get it,
we will subject the affected officials to our internal process.
We are operating in a democratic environment and we have
to observe due process in whatever we are doing.
"So far, we have lived up to expectations in handing over
any INEC officials implicated to EFCC for interrogation, we
have not shielded anybody no matter how highly placed.
"We have also taken pre-emptive steps to check these 100
employees. We have exempted them from sensitive
operations of the commission pending the conclusion of
investigation and the outcome of their trial if any.
The EFCC has been probing the embattled former Minister of
Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, on her
alleged involvement in a $115m (N23, 299,705,000billion)
2015 poll bribery scandal.
About four oil firms, 14 directors of oil companies, two
banks and some politicians are under probe.
Some INEC officials already grilled are REC Gesil Khan for
allegedly collecting N185, 842,000 out of a N681million
bribe; Fidelia Omoile( Electoral Officer in Isoko-South Local
Government Area of Delta State)—N112,480,000 ; Uluochi
Obi Brown( INEC's Administrative Secretary in Delta State)—
N111,500,000; a former Deputy Director of INEC in Cross
River state, Edem Okon Effanga—N241,127,000 and the
Head of Voter Education in INEC in Akwa Ibom, Immaculata
Asuquo—N214,127,000.
Also, a retired INEC official, Sani Isa, was grilled over
alleged N 406,206,000 bribe allegedly collected on behalf of
the deceased Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in
Kano State, Alhaji Mukaila Abdullahi.
Those grilled in Gombe are: Godwin Maiyaki Gambo
Balanga, Bukar Alone Benisheik, Dukku, Jibril. B.
Muhammed,Billiri, Dunguma Musa Dogona, Funakaye,
Mohammed. A. Wanka, Kaltungo, Ishaku Yusuf, Kwami,
Suleiman Isawa, Nafada, Babagana Malami, Shongom, and
Nuhu Samuel, Y/Deba.
Thanks For Reading: Share and Comment. For more inquires call us on +2348066760321.
