•Commission
refers National Commissioner, RECs to Presidency
The
independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) yesterday said out of N23billion
poll bribery cash, about N3,046,829, 000 was traced to some of its staff
involved in 2015 general elections.
The
commission has also referred a National Commissioner and five Resident
Electoral Commissioners( RECs), who were implicated in the bribery scandal, to
the presidency for disciplinary action.
It said
it has suspended 205 pending the final determination of cases they have with
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC).
But
following insufficient information, 70 other staff have been referred back to
EFCC for further investigation.
These
disciplinary measures were contained in a statement by the National
Commissioner and Member, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC,
Mallam Mohammed Haruna.
For the
first time, INEC admitted that
The
statement highlighted major decisions taken by INEC management on the report of
a panel it set up to look into the poll bribery scam allegedly facilitated by a
former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The
statement said: “The Commission met today to consider the report of its
expanded Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee on the EFCC Interim
Report on Bribery Corruption and Money Laundering Charges During the 2015
General Elections.
” You
may recall that late last year, the Commission received an Interim Report from
the EFCC detailing allegations against 202 serving and retired INEC officials
and staff in 16 States of the Aa
” In
furtherance of its zero tolerance for corruption in the electoral process, the
Commission ordered a thorough investigation into the allegations to establish
the culpability or otherwise of those named in the EFCC Report.
“The
committee’s work was thorough and painstaking, involving issuance of queries to
the 202 staff mentioned in the Report and interviewing them individually in
accordance with the principle of fair hearing and in consonance with INEC Staff
Conditions of Service.
“As a
result of initial findings of the Committee, an additional 80 serving officials
of the Commission, who were not named in the EFCC report but whose names came
up in the course of the investigation, were also queried and interviewed.”
The
statement gave the details of disciplinary measures which INEC has taken
against its staff.
The
statement added: “Among other things the Committee found that:
“There
was a clear attempt to bribe INEC staff to influence the outcome of the 2015
general elections using an NGO, the West African Network of Election Observers
(WANEO), made up mainly of retired senior INEC officials.
“Out of
over 23 billion Naira, which the EFCC report said was used to influence the
elections, the Committee established that 3,046,829,000 Naira was received by
INEC staff in 16 States.
“In
reaching its decision on the findings of the Committee, the Commission adhered
strictly to the INEC Staff Conditions of Service. The Commission therefore
decided as follows:
* The
cases of one former National Commissioner, 5 former Resident Electoral
Commissioners (one of them deceased) have been referred to the Presidency and
EFCC for further necessary action.
* Based
on their level of involvement, two hundred and five (205) serving INEC staff
will be immediately placed on Interdiction, which entails suspension from
duties and being placed on half salary, pending the final determination of the
cases they have with the EFCC.
*
Seventy staff (70) about whom there was insufficient information regarding
their involvement will be referred back to EFCC for further investigation and
possible prosecution.
“The
Commission hereby reiterates its commitment to defending the integrity of the
electoral process. Therefore, it will continue to take stern action against its
officials who compromise its core values of integrity, transparency and
impartiality in the conduct of elections.”