Staff members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged payments linked to the 2015 general elections are still working for the electoral body and receiving their salaries.
Investigations revealed that several of the INEC officials whose names have featured in the EFCC investigation remain employees of the Commission, despite allegations that they received various sums of money in connection with the controversial election-related payments.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, recently disclosed that more than 100 members of staff had been invited by the EFCC in connection with the investigation.
Yakubu said the Commission had taken note of the names involved but would be guided by due process before taking administrative action.
“So far, over a hundred staff of INEC have been invited. At a point, we toyed with the idea of speaking to the EFCC to see the weight of evidence they have so that we can take administrative action against our staff but they are innocent until they are proven guilty. They have to be charged to court, but we have taken notice and we have a complete list,” he said.
The investigation centres on allegations surrounding about N23.29 billion said to have been disbursed in connection with an alleged scheme to influence the 2015 elections and which the EFCC linked to former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Among those named in the investigation is the former Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Mrs. Gesila Khan. The EFCC reportedly accused her of receiving N185.8 million from the funds.
Despite the investigation, Khan was still serving in her official capacity at the time of the report.
The EFCC was also reported to have seized two properties allegedly linked to her, while about N49 million in a bank account associated with her was reportedly frozen.
Another official mentioned in the investigation was Fidelia Omoile, an INEC electoral officer in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, who was alleged to have received N112.4 million.
The EFCC reportedly traced the money to her and also recovered sensitive electoral materials during searches of properties linked to her in Edo and Delta states.
An INEC Administrative Secretary in Delta State, Oluchi Brown, was also arrested over an alleged payment of more than N111 million.
Investigators reportedly discovered about $75,857 in an account in the United States allegedly linked to Brown. She was said to be at large at the time.
The EFCC also arrested retired INEC official Edem Effanga alongside Immaculata Asuquo, the Head of Voter Education at INEC in Akwa Ibom State.
Effanga was alleged to have received more than N241.1 million, which investigators said was distributed among INEC ad hoc personnel during the election.
In Gombe State, two INEC officials were also questioned over allegations surrounding the receipt and distribution of N120 million allegedly meant to influence the election.
According to the EFCC’s investigation, the money was allegedly collected on behalf of electoral officers by Ahmed Ali Biu and Mohammed B. Zannah, electoral officers for Akko and Gombe Local Government Areas respectively.
The EFCC alleged that the money was handed over by Yunusa Ali Biri, a retired INEC official who was said to have acted as a coordinator for electoral officers during the election.
Investigators further alleged that Biri was described as the “Coordinator of NGOs” in an attempt to conceal his alleged role in the operation.
According to EFCC records cited in the investigation, other electoral officers allegedly linked to the payments included Godwin Maiyaki Gambo of Balanga LGA; Bukar Alone Benisheik of Dukku LGA; Jibril B.
Mohammed of Billiri LGA; Dunguma Musa Dogona of Funakaye LGA; Mohammed A. Wanka of Kaltungo LGA; Ishaku Yusuf of Kwami LGA; Suleiman Isawa of Nafada LGA; Babagana Malami of Shongom LGA and Nuhu Samuel Y. of Deba LGA.
Despite the allegations, the officials were reportedly still on the Commission’s payroll.
A source at INEC headquarters in Abuja, who asked not to be named, confirmed that the affected officials remained members of staff.
According to the source, the Commission could not impose punitive measures on the officials until the allegations were established through the appropriate legal process.
When asked whether the officials should be suspended while investigations continued, particularly in cases where properties had allegedly been seized or accounts frozen, the source said the matter was governed by civil service regulations.
INEC’s Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, also confirmed that the officials remained staff members of the Commission.
“Yes, they are still staff of the Commission. There are other names still coming up. The EFCC too has kept coming up with new names. Over 100 of them now are under investigation. Until they are proven guilty, there is nothing we can do about it now,” he said.
Oyekanmi explained that INEC was studying the situation carefully before deciding on the appropriate administrative action.
“It is administrative rule and again we don’t know yet what is next because lots of things are coming up. We are studying the situation carefully before any action is taken,” he added.
On officials who had allegedly made statements to investigators and whose properties or accounts had reportedly been affected by the investigation, Oyekanmi said INEC would not treat individual cases differently while the wider investigation was still ongoing.
“We cannot treat one case in isolation. As far as the case is the same, we cannot for now isolate one. Don’t forget there is legal basis to it too; we don’t want to go against the law,” he said.
The development comes as the EFCC’s investigation into alleged election-related payments continues, with more names and details emerging from the probe.
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