There are strong indications that no fewer than 227 members
of the Independent National Electoral Commission will go on suspension this
week.
It was gathered on Sunday that the staff to be
suspended included those who were indicted for infractions in investigations
conducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Police and the
Department of State Services.
It was learnt that the suspension would be preparatory to
the arraignment of the affected staff by the Office of the Attorney General of
the Federation.
Investigation revealed that 202 of the affected staff were
indicted by the EFCC for allegedly receiving various sums fromthe N23bn alleged
bribe ahead of the 2015 elections while the other 25 were indicted by the Joint
Police/DSS Investigative panel report on the December 10, 2016 legislative
rerun elections in Rivers State.
The N23bn ($115m) was said to have been facilitated by the
former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, allegedly
to be disbursed as bribes to various officials involved in the 2015 general
elections.
The police panel had said in its report that it recovered
N111.3m from 25 personnel of the commission, who would be made to face criminal
prosecution.
A top official of INEC, who confided in our correspondent on
Sunday, said the commission had taken a decision to suspend its staff indicted
by the various reports of investigations conducted by security agencies.
The source said, “The commission has taken a decision to
suspend all those indicted by the investigation conducted by the security
agencies.
“We held a crucial meeting on the fate of the indicted
officials and decided to suspend them. You cannot be facing prosecution and be
working at the same time. Then, they will await the outcome of their
prosecution.
“We agreed in the meeting that since these people were
indicted by panels outside the commission, we cannot go for dismissal or any
other sanction other than suspending them.”
It was learnt that the commission also agreed to recall any
of the 227 members of staff, who was acquitted by the court as their fate was
dependent on the planned police prosecution for the alleged offences.
The source told The PUNCH, “During the period of
the prosecution, they will be placed on suspension until after the conclusion
of the court cases.
“The police have said they will prosecute them and the
commission has agreed to cooperate fully with them.
‘If any one of them is discharged and acquitted by the
court, such a person would be recalled to the commission to resume work.”
The National Commissioner of INEC in charge of the
South-South, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, said during a press briefing on Thursday
that the commission would take a final decision on the affected workers this
week.
She stated that 202 of the affected workers, who were
indicted by the EFCC, had already been queried and made to appear before an
administrative panel.
The commissioner said, “You may recall that late last year,
the commission received a report from the EFCC, in which some of our staff were
accused of certain infractions. We would like to update you on the matter.
“A total of 202 INEC officials from 14 states were mentioned
in the report.
“Based on the EFCC’s interim report, the commission
subsequently queried and invited them to appear before an administrative panel.
The final report of the investigation into the matter will be considered by the
commission at its meeting next week.
“As we informed you last week, the commission received the
report of its administrative panel on the December 10, 2016 Rivers State ee-run
elections. Twenty-nine members of staff were recommended for disciplinary
actions and their cases are currently being handled by the commission’s
disciplinary committee.”
Major decision will be taken this week –INEC
Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman,
Rotimi Oyekanmi, said he was not aware of the decision to place the indicted
workers on suspension.
He stated that what he was aware of was that the
disciplinary committee, which received the report on those who were
investigated, would take a major decision on them this week.
Oyekanmi added, “I am not aware, whether they have been
suspended or not, because if an action is going to be taken by a committee, why
place them on suspension?
“There has been a recommendation already. What I am aware of
is that the disciplinary committee that received the report of those that were
investigated is going to take a major decision on them this week.”
By Fidelis Soriwei
