More Arrests Loom In INEC Over Diezani's N23b "Bribe"

The probe and prosecution of INEC officials for allegedly receiving part of the N23bn disbursed by a ex-Minister of Petroleum, Diezani-Alison Madueke, is still ongoing. INEC Boss, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the commission will continue to cooperate with the EFCC. Yakubu said the last report given to him by the EFCC involved 16 states. He said the EFCC was already probing INEC officials in 20 other states over the fraud. He said, “I want to say that this is the first time in the history of our elections that in one fell swoop, 205 officials were disciplined based on the interim report we received from the EFCC covering 16 states.

“Under the terms and conditions of service what we can do is to interdict them which means placing them on half salary and suspending them from work until their innocence or guilt is established. The last report covered 16 states and only last week I heard they had started prosecuting them. “After receiving the report, we had a discussion with the EFCC and told them that for the outstanding 20 states, they should not submit any interim report to INEC but just prosecute them. “Once they are taken to court, we activate the provisions of the terms and conditions of service. Whatever we need to do we will do even if it means getting rid of everybody in the commission and recruiting afresh for the purpose of the 2019 elections. We are committed to doing so.”