100 electoral officials are set to be charged to court by anti-graft agency, EFCC for allegedly receiving part of the $115m (N23bn) disbursed by Diezani Alison-Madueke, during the 2015 presidential election.
– INEC officials would only face dismissal for breach of INEC rules, some of the officials, who have returned a total sum of N400m, may not face prosecution
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke
About 100 electoral officials are set to be charged to court by anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly receiving part of the $115m (N23bn) disbursed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison- Madueke, during the 2015 presidential election.
According to Punch newspaper, INEC officials would only face dismissal for breach of INEC rules, some of the officials, who have returned a total sum of N400m, may not face prosecution.
Recall that in April, the anti-graft agency arrested the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the 2015 elections in Rivers State, Mrs. Gesila Khan, and other officials of INEC that conducted elections in Delta an Akwa Ibom states.
A source at the EFCC said, “You will recall that the EFCC started investigating the INEC officials in the South-South in March and we arrested several officials, including the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State during the 2015 election, Gesila Khan.
“However, further investigations revealed that the bribery took place across Nigeria and so, all the EFCC zonal offices started conducting investigations simultaneously.
“We have sent reports to the chairman and he is expected to meet with the INEC chairman on Thursday. Some of the electoral officials were not INEC employees but ad hoc staff. Some of the officials collected money through their bank accounts while some collected cash.”
The report also said impeccable sources at EFCC said
Khan, who is now the REC in Cross River state, allegedly received N185.8m ahead of the March 28 and April 11, 2015 elections.
A source alleged that Khan received the money through a special bank account and the commission had received overwhelming evidence.
The source also revealed that the EFCC had arrested one Fidelia Omoile who was the INEC electoral officer in Isoko-South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Apart from tracing over N112.4m to her, the commission also recovered some sensitive electoral materials during a search of her apartments in Edo and Delta states. One Oluchi Obi Brown who was the INEC
administrative secretary in Delta State was also arrested for allegedly receiving over N111.5m. Brown had about $75,000 in an account in the United States.
EFCC also arrested one Edem Okon Effanga, who is a retired INEC official. Effanga was arrested alongside his alleged accomplice, Immaculata Asuquo, who is the Head, Voter Education, INEC, Akwa Ibom State.
Effanga was alleged to have received over N241.1m which he shared among INEC ad hoc workers during the last election. Already detained INEC officials are : Godwin Maiyaki,
Gambo Balanga, Bukar Benisheik, Dukku, Jibril Muhammed, Billiri, Dunguma Dogona, Funakaye, Mohammed Wanka, Kaltungo, Ishaku Yusuf, Kwami, Suleiman Isawa, Babagana Malami, Shongom, and Nuhu Samuel.
– INEC officials would only face dismissal for breach of INEC rules, some of the officials, who have returned a total sum of N400m, may not face prosecution
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-MaduekeAbout 100 electoral officials are set to be charged to court by anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly receiving part of the $115m (N23bn) disbursed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison- Madueke, during the 2015 presidential election.
According to Punch newspaper, INEC officials would only face dismissal for breach of INEC rules, some of the officials, who have returned a total sum of N400m, may not face prosecution.
Recall that in April, the anti-graft agency arrested the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the 2015 elections in Rivers State, Mrs. Gesila Khan, and other officials of INEC that conducted elections in Delta an Akwa Ibom states.
A source at the EFCC said, “You will recall that the EFCC started investigating the INEC officials in the South-South in March and we arrested several officials, including the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State during the 2015 election, Gesila Khan.
“However, further investigations revealed that the bribery took place across Nigeria and so, all the EFCC zonal offices started conducting investigations simultaneously.
“We have sent reports to the chairman and he is expected to meet with the INEC chairman on Thursday. Some of the electoral officials were not INEC employees but ad hoc staff. Some of the officials collected money through their bank accounts while some collected cash.”
The report also said impeccable sources at EFCC said
Khan, who is now the REC in Cross River state, allegedly received N185.8m ahead of the March 28 and April 11, 2015 elections.
A source alleged that Khan received the money through a special bank account and the commission had received overwhelming evidence.
The source also revealed that the EFCC had arrested one Fidelia Omoile who was the INEC electoral officer in Isoko-South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Apart from tracing over N112.4m to her, the commission also recovered some sensitive electoral materials during a search of her apartments in Edo and Delta states. One Oluchi Obi Brown who was the INEC
administrative secretary in Delta State was also arrested for allegedly receiving over N111.5m. Brown had about $75,000 in an account in the United States.
EFCC also arrested one Edem Okon Effanga, who is a retired INEC official. Effanga was arrested alongside his alleged accomplice, Immaculata Asuquo, who is the Head, Voter Education, INEC, Akwa Ibom State.
Effanga was alleged to have received over N241.1m which he shared among INEC ad hoc workers during the last election. Already detained INEC officials are : Godwin Maiyaki,
Gambo Balanga, Bukar Benisheik, Dukku, Jibril Muhammed, Billiri, Dunguma Dogona, Funakaye, Mohammed Wanka, Kaltungo, Ishaku Yusuf, Kwami, Suleiman Isawa, Babagana Malami, Shongom, and Nuhu Samuel.
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