The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Tuesday, formally admitted and told the story of how its operatives working with a clandestine organization, allegedly made up of retired staff of the agency, collected bribes totaling over N3 billion, to rig the 2015 elections, in favour of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Speaking through one of its Commissioners in charge of voter education, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, INEC alleged that a Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, West African Network of Election Observers, were the brains behind the coordinated effort to abridge the electoral process, through bribery of INEC officials.
“There was a clear attempt to bribe INEC staff to influence the outcome of the 2015 general elections using an NGO, West African Network of Election Observers, made up mainly of retired senior INEC officials.
“Out of over N23 billion, which the EFCC report said was used to influence the elections, the Committee established that N3,046,829,000 was received by INEC staff in 16 States.”
Haruna’s tale as told on Tuesday to Newsmen who gathered in Abuja, went thus:
“The Commission met today (Tuesday), to consider the report of its expanded Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee on the EFCC Interim Report on Bribery, Corruption, and Money Laundering Charges, during the 2015 general elections.
“You may recall that late last year, the Commission received an interim report from the EFCC, detailing allegations against 202 serving and retired INEC officials and staff in 16 States of the federation.
“In furtherance of its zero tolerance for corruption in the electoral process, the Commission ordered a thorough investigation into the allegations, to establish the culpability or otherwise of those named in the EFCC report.
“The Committee’s work was thorough and painstaking, involving issuance of queries to the 202 officials mentioned in the report, and interviewing them individually in accordance with the principle of fair hearing, and in consonance with INEC Staff Conditions of Service.
