The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it is waiting for the report of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on its officers accused of corruption before taking a decision on them.
The Director of Voter Education and Publicity at the commission, Mr. Oluwole Ozasse-Uzi, stated this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday.
The EFCC is currently investigating more than 100 officers of the commission for alleged bribery during the last general election.
Some Resident Electoral Commissioners of INEC were alleged to have been bribed by some officials of the Peoples Democratic Party during the general election.
For example, a former REC in Rivers State, Mrs. Gesila Khan, and other top INEC officials in the South-South geopolitical zone were alleged to have received N675.1m from a former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
It was gathered that one of the RECs, allegedly received N185.8m ahead of the March 28 and April 11, 2015 elections.
Based on investigations, the EFCC had arrested one Oluchi Brown who was INEC administrative secretary in Delta State.
She was alleged to have received over N11m.
The EFCC was also said to have discovered that Brown had $75,000 in an account in the United States of America.
The EFCC operatives also arrested one Edem Effanga, who is a retired INEC official.
He was arrested alongside his alleged accomplice, Immaculate Asuquo, who was the Head, Voter Education, INEC, Akwa Ibom State.
Effang was alleged to have received over N240m which he allegedly shared among INEC ad hoc workers during the last election.
Ozasse-Uzi told our correspondent that the commission was not going to cover up any of its workers.
He also revealed that the suspects would not be disciplined until the EFCC submitted its reports.
Ozasse-Uzi said, “We are waiting for the EFCC to finish its investigations. It is after that we shall take an action.
“Also, the law stipulates how to punish any erring member of our staff and the law also stipulates on how to remove or punish RECs.
“That law will be effectively used to handle the report of the EFCC when it is out.The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it is waiting for the report of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on its officers accused of corruption before taking a decision on them.
The Director of Voter Education and Publicity at the commission, Mr. Oluwole Ozasse-Uzi, stated this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday.
The EFCC is currently investigating more than 100 officers of the commission for alleged bribery during the last general election.
Some Resident Electoral Commissioners of INEC were alleged to have been bribed by some officials of the Peoples Democratic Party during the general election.
For example, a former REC in Rivers State, Mrs. Gesila Khan, and other top INEC officials in the South-South geopolitical zone were alleged to have received N675.1m from a former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
It was gathered that one of the RECs, allegedly received N185.8m ahead of the March 28 and April 11, 2015 elections.
Based on investigations, the EFCC had arrested one Oluchi Brown who was INEC administrative secretary in Delta State.
She was alleged to have received over N11m.
The EFCC was also said to have discovered that Brown had $75,000 in an account in the United States of America.
The EFCC operatives also arrested one Edem Effanga, who is a retired INEC official.
He was arrested alongside his alleged accomplice, Immaculate Asuquo, who was the Head, Voter Education, INEC, Akwa Ibom State.
Effang was alleged to have received over N240m which he allegedly shared among INEC ad hoc workers during the last election.
Ozasse-Uzi told our correspondent that the commission was not going to cover up any of its workers.
He also revealed that the suspects would not be disciplined until the EFCC submitted its reports.
Ozasse-Uzi said, “We are waiting for the EFCC to finish its investigations. It is after that we shall take an action.
“Also, the law stipulates how to punish any erring member of our staff and the law also stipulates on how to remove or punish RECs.
“That law will be effectively used to handle the report of the EFCC when it is out.
PUNCH
