Some Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) officials have been summoned to the agency’s Abuja
headquarters in connection with the alleged N23.29billion bribe the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is probing.
The EFCC has quizzed 16 top INEC
officials, including 10 directors, over the scandal.
Those invited are two Resident Electoral
Commissioners (RECs) and an administrative officer.
The RECs are Gesila Khan and Austen
Okojie, who have been under investigation by the EFCC and other security
agencies.
On the list too is an Administrative
Secretary in Delta State, Uluochi Obi Brown.
Khan has been quizzed for allegedly
collecting N185, 842,000 out of a N681million bribe. Brown allegedly got N111,500,000.
Okojie’s infractions were unknown as at
press time but the INEC management is said to have “a security report” on him.
The officials will appear on
Wednesday before the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee chaired by a
National Commissioner, Mustapha Lecky.
More RECs and INEC officials may face the
panel based on EFCC’s investigation.
The indicted officials may be dropped by
the Presidency if the allegations against them are established “beyond
reasonable doubt”.
The INEC management has stepped into the
poll bribery scandal to cleanse the system of
A retired INEC official, Sani Isa,
was grilled for alleged N406,206,000 bribe, allegedly collected on behalf of
the deceased Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kano State, Alhaji
Mukaila Abdullahi.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said:
“Apart from EFCC’s findings, the INEC management is also looking into the
scandal which has battered the image of the commission.
“The Secretary of INEC, Mrs. Augusta
Ogakwu, has sent a letter of invitation to the affected RECs and Administrative
Secretary.
About $115m( N23.29b) was involved in the
bribery, with four oil firms contributing $88.35million.
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