NewStats: 3,262,649 , 8,177,781 topics. Date: Tuesday, 03 June 2025 at 07:35 AM 5g12

by Yusuf Alli,

Two INEC commissioners, 16 directors, 82 others to face trial

All is set for the trial of about 100 Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) officials who allegedly collected over N23.29b bribe to influence the 2015 general election.

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu and the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, have met on the list of those indicted in the scam, the investigative report and how to go about the trial.

The INEC chief, The Nation learnt, promised that the indicted officials will immediately undergo an internal disciplinary process before being handed over to the EFCC for prosecution.

But Yakubu said the law does not allow him to take a disciplinary action against the two Resident Electoral Commissioners, Gesil Khan and Mr. Slyvester Ezeani, who were implicated in the scandal, because they are appointees of the President. They can be disciplined only by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The EFCC has decided to refer the two RECs to the President to determine their fate.
The EFCC has been investigating the bribe, which was allegedly facilitated by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

About four oil firms, some directors of some oil companies, two banks and some politicians are under probe for their roles in the scandal.

From the EFCC’s findings, the two RECs, 16 INEC directors and 82 others were allegedly involved in the scam.

Many of the indicted INEC staff and politicians have owned up and refunded huge sums of money to the EFCC.

Some choice assets belonging to the officials have been placed under Interim Asset Forfeiture until the determination of cases against them.

A source in the EFCC, who spoke in confidence, said: “We are closer to the trial of INEC officials implicated in the scandal.

The EFCC chairman and INEC chief have met at the office of the anti-graft agency on the report and the list of those to be investigated already sorted out at the meeting.

“One of the key decisions at the meeting is the need to subject the indicted officials to internal disciplinary action before the EFCC can charge them to court. The INEC chairman, it was learnt, made a commitment that the electoral body would expedite action on the disciplinary procedure.

“After the internal disciplinary measures, INEC will then forward its decision to the EFCC to pave the way for the trial of the affected officials.”

The source added: “Based on the mode of appointment of RECs, the INEC chairman said only the President could exercise disciplinary control on them because they are his appointees.

“With this development, EFCC will now refer the two RECs to the President for necessary action. All the evidence will also be forwarded to the President.”

Section 3 of INEC Establishment Act says:

(1) “ The chairman and of the Commission shall each hold office for a period of five years and on such and conditions as may be specified in their letters of appointment.

(2) “ A member may at any time be removed from office by the President for inability to discharge the functions of his office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for any act of misconduct but shall not be removed from office except in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.

(3) ”A member may resign his hip by notice in writing addressed to the President and that member shall, on the date of the receipt of the notice by the President, cease to be a member.”

Some INEC officers already grilled are REC Gesil Khan for collecting N185, 842,000 out of a N681million bribe deal; Fidelia Omoile( Electoral Officer in Isoko-South Local Government Area of Delta State)—N112,480,000 ; Uluochi Obi Brown( INEC’s istrative 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 officials, 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.

http://thenationonlineng.net/n23-29b-poll-bribe-buhari-determine-fate-recs/

Hummmmm Baba BUBU waitin por ya jaudgement por da kwarapt feofle warking wit INEC fls don't fall our hanu

What about the ones in Kano

But Yakubu said the law does not allow him to take a disciplinary action against the two Resident Electoral Commissioners, Gesil Khan and Mr. Slyvester Ezeani, who were implicated in the scandal, because they are appointees of the President. They can be disciplined only by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Really? Wow. I can now understand why crooks like Amaechi haven't been invited by the EFCC. Apparently if you've been anointed by the president, you're now low-key above the law. This makes sense

The EFCC has decided to refer the two RECs to the President to determine their fate......deir own done be

The title should be:Buhari uses EFCC to decide fates of RECs who announced PDP winners in 2015 election.

We are tired of this folly games to distract us from things that needs to be done. We the citizenry don't care about APC nor PDP, all we ask, is for our basic social amenities.

Work on fixing these things than creating unnecessary party headline. So... Those who announced APC are saints. How did we get here?

yrret:
The title should be:Buhari uses EFCC to decide fates of RECs who announced PDP winners in 2015 election.
We are tired of this folly games to distract us from things that needs to be done. We the citizenry don't care about APC nor PDP, all we ask, is for our basic social amenities.
Work on fixing this things than creating unnecessary party headline. So... Those who announced APC are saints. How did we get here?

you couldn't have said it any better...We got here by voting in Buhari as president, and it will haunt this country for at least 3more years

What fate should befall a corrupt public official.

Please relief them of their duties. There many youths on the streets looking for jobs

We want all our stolen yams.

Zellie:


Really? Wow. I can now understand why crooks like Amaechi haven't been invited by the EFCC. Apparently if you've been anointed by the president, you're now low-key above the law. This makes sense

This ur growing fixation about Amaechi, hope u dont get deranged along the line?
By the way, why r u not mentioning other 16yrs looters in PDP or anyone left in PDP is now a saint?

what about the EDO STATE INCE APC BRIBE

Wadeva

Fake people even Buhari follow dem

Only time will tell

Good question

Johnpaul2k2:
what about the EDO STATE INCE APC BRIBE

Which one is this money again

YesOo

babs01:
Only time will tell

What of INEC officials who collected monies from APC stalwarts in the North to manipulate the northern votes for Buhari?







Sorry they are all Saintly Inec Officials

Ask google

koladebrainiac:
Which one is this money again

I tire for this country ooo.

in other news,
Saudi Arabia saved 800billion dollars during oil windfall. Now the price has gone down, Saudi Arabia slashed top officials earning by 20%, switched to Gregorian calendar for salary payment

But in the oligademocrazy nation, none of that is happening. And all of bunch of parochialist just kept quiet thinking it will be a knock on Buhari if he fails. We'll it will be a knock on him, but you and your family will be hungry for 4years.

Is high time we took to the streets

Is this a country self?

Which kind country be this, soon South Sudan go better us.... Smh

If this was Jonathan's istration, they would have been celebrated and hailed as kings and Queens of taking bribes.

The sooner we send the message across that such nonsense is now a thing of the past, and this istration wouldn't stand for such acts anymore, the better for us all.

Beside, who did they collect the bride from? I believe in the case of bribe both the giver and the receiver are guilty, so why the selective justice?

They want to go after Gesil Khan cuz APC wasn't able to have Rivers State abi?


Corruption fight indeed

Nah today

Ok

We are watching

Johnpaul2k2:
what about the EDO STATE INCE APC BRIBE

Shut up

I suspected that Kano REC

K

Should it be Buhari or the court's that will do that? We are in a democracy.