Chuks Okocha
10 May 2009
Abuja — A new twist was at the weekend introduced into the N250 million bribery scandal rocking rank of staff of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who participated in the re-run governorship election in Ekiti State.
The 31 officials of the commission who are currently facing police interrogation over the scandal, have protested that 200 officials and not 31, were actually involved in the scandal.
The INEC officials who appeared before a Deputy Commissioner of Police last Friday to answer questions over their role in the N250 million bribe scandal protested that police authorities were shielding the major culprits.
According to an INEC staff, who pleaded anonymity, the suspects were furious and asked the police why only 31 persons would be invited for interrogation, whereas, there are more than 200 INEC staff that served as polling and collation staff in the Ekiti re-run governorship election.
THISDAY also gathered that in response to the query by the suspects, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the interrogation, J.B. Awelewa, told them (the 31 suspects) that he was investigating those sent to him by the commission.
Awelewa further told the suspects that 200 officials would be too much for him to deal with and thus, a random selection of some of the suspects was made for the purpose of interrogation.
A source however said one of the 31 suspects being quizzed, Mr. Chukwudi Odukpe, protested that he was neither a polling officer nor a presiding officer at the re-run governorship election in Ekiti State, yet his name was among those included for the police interrogation.
Reports on the re-run election in Ido-Osi local government of Ekiti State indicated that bribes were offered to presiding and polling officers who served in the area by one of the political parties that contested the Saturday April 25 re-run governorship election.
The bribe scandal became a subject of police investigation when one of the presiding officers, Mr. John Onaji, asked for his share of the said bribe and in the process, a fight ensued which necessitated the invitation of policemen.
In one of the confession statements by Onaji, he alleged that the Head of Operations in INEC, Okey Ndeche, collected some money on behalf of his colleagues and refused to share it.
But following a letter by Awelewa dated May 4, 2009, with reference No. CR.3000/Bdept/INEC/Vol 1/25 to the INEC Secretary, Abdullahi Kugama titled "Investigation Activities", the police asked INEC to release 31 members of its staff, all of whom were collation and presiding officers in Ido-Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State for interrogation.
The letter from the police reads in part, "I refer to my letter CB: 3000/B Dept/INEC/Vol 1/43 dated April 30 2009 and hereby request for the release of the under mentioned collation and presiding officers who were deployed to Ido-Osi Local Government for the supplementary election of April 25, 2009."
According to the letter, the names of collation officers needed for interrogation by police include the following INEC staff: Eze P.C grade level 15 officer, Okorafor Jonathan, level 14 officer; Aminu Adamu Bello level 15; Okafor Chika, level 15; Ikpe ECP, level 15; Kolo AA, level 15; Okafor U.N.P, level 15; Aluko V., a level 15 officer; Gregory E. Ossie, level 15; Nzewuile Lilian, level 14; and Ojedokun B. A. level 14.
Others are Ibrahim M.G.P, level 12; Nkechi Omeramma Nwagwu, level 9; Adegbimro A.I.P. level 8; Maina N. Alenga, level 8; Awofolu Hajara level 13; Modey M. Umari, level 9; Abah, S. A.P level 12; Mrs. Ume Zude, level 9; Akanji Isreal level 14; Mrs. Grance David, level 9; Suliman Faruk Yahaya, level 10; Chukwunye Nnena, level 10; Abbah Saced Bachukugaide, level 10; and Inyeng N.J. Level 8.
They also include Adidi Esther, level 14; Issac Ette, level 10; Odukpe Chukwudi, level 14; Chinyere C. U. Ekeanyanwyu, level 10; Ajayi Lateef, level 9; and Godwin Doghor, level 8.
Awalewa also said in the letter to INEC that the "request has become necessary in order to complete the investigation into an allegation of corrupt practice presently being handled by this unit. The officers are expected to report to the INEC Police Unit on Thursday, May 7, 2009."
In his response, the INEC Secretary, Kugama, directed the Director of Human Resources Management of the commission to release the affected officers for police interrogation.
Kugama also directed the INEC Director of Human Resources Management thus: "Please inform the listed officers above to report as requested."
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What is new about indemic bribery and corruption in Nigeria?There is no segment of public life in Nigeria that is free of these two diseases[bribery and corruption]ranging from police officers,politicians, school principals,university dons who only can pass female students by demanding sex from the students even when these students do not deserve a passing grade or merit to pass the coures but can not pass because these female students refused to comply with the professor[s]shameful demand.Lets face it these teachers do not and should not belong to any institution of higher learning any where in the world.Until we eliminate somehow these cancer in our society, we will continue to struggle for our real place in the world.For us to get there,lets start from the top One knows it is a long cry,but
why will this be a news? what is bad about bribry in Nigeria of Africa as a whole? or is it because it is not in our constutution? please let these people be. go and get Harliburton deal solved, also get Obassanjo Probed. But before that Question our fore father Babangida, and get backwards and backwards. As long as PDP leads, we remain as we are. I am happy that i am not into politics. i do not even thing i will vote in my life, because i am too sure that the votes does not count, you rather wastes your time under the sun standing as a fool. please lets talk about Man-U and other glubs. No hope for Nigerians now, untill God will come down and kill millions. but as for now, please forget Nigeria issue. You say no? ok, tell me what good it will do you; who so ever wins the election? both sides have thesame mission, theaves. that is why they fights, they know each other.
Corruption in INEC is nothing new but it is growing to new dimensions under the leadership of Chairman Iwu. While it is one thing for PDP Senators in parliament to protect him its another for the President to sit back and watch this happen. If INEC is not seriously reformed and a new management structure put in place there is no hope at all that the 2011 national elections will be even remotely free and fair. Donors would be far better off saving their money than pouring it down the drain at INEC unless major changes are made.