Two Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), who are implicated in the alleged N23.29b poll bribery scandal, have ended their tenure in the agency.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recommended the two commissioners, Mrs Gesila Khan and Sylvester Okey Ezeani for trial.
A management meeting of INEC is likely to hold today, it was learnt, to review the situation of the RECs and to deliberate on the outcome of the meeting of INEC chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakubu ‘s session with EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu on the alleged poll bribery
A fresh row has however broken out in INEC on the exit date of a National Commissioner, Amb. Lawrence Nwuruku.
Nwuruku, who was appointed on October 20, 2011 by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan said since he was sworn in on December 20, 2012, he is statutorily expected to end his tenure in December.
His letter of appointment was however explicit that his appointment took effect from October 20, 2016.
According to an investigation by our correspondent, the two embattled RECs will end their five- year tenure on October 20.
It was gathered that the completion of their term of office does not foreclose their investigation and trial by EFCC.
Other RECs Istifanus Ishaku; Samuel Madaki; Ogbudu Gabriel and Sam Olumekun, will also end their tenure on October 20.
The involvement of Khan and Ezeani in the bribery scam posed a challenge to INEC.
While the EFCC has been probing Mrs Khan for allegedly collecting N185, 842,000 out of a N681million bribe deal during the 2015 general election, Ezeani has refunded about N20 million.
About N59million in Ezeani’s account has also been frozen by the anti-graft agency.
A top source in INEC said: “I think we are getting closer to how to determine the fate of the RECs who have questions to answer on the poll bribery scam. In spite of the fact that their case has been referred to President Muhammadu Buhari by EFCC, their tenure officially ends on October 20.
“After their exit, the EFCC will have the liberty to engage them in any interaction it deems fit. INEC management has been overwhelmed by the allegations against the RECs and how to tackle it. You know the INEC chairman has no powers to take any action on the RECs.
“We are now left with the task of subjecting about 100 officials allegedly fingered in the scandal to internal disciplinary procedure. The INEC chairman and the EFCC chairman have had some talks on the case.”
Other INEC official grilled by the EFCC are 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 staff, Sani Isa was grilled over alleged N 406,206,000 bribe sum allegedly collected on behalf of the deceased Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in Kano State, Alhaji Mukaila Abdullahi.
Those grilled in Gombe were: 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.
THE NATION
