INEC has no Report on N111.3m Rivers Rerun Election Bribe

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday has stated that it is yet to be formally briefed about the recovery of N111.3 million cash from its officials who participated in the Rivers rerun election in December, 2016.

According to a panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, it investigated claims of violence and financial inducement during the hotly contested Rivers rerun election, had presented a report on Tuesday to this effect.

The panel led by Mr Damian Okoro, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, while presenting its report also made a display of N111.3m cash it claimed was recovered from INEC officials who appeared before the panel.

Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity,  however said the INEC leadership found the reports of recovered cash in the media just like all other Nigerians did and are still awaiting a formal communication from the police.

He nonetheless stated that INEC would support all processes to prosecute persons indicted by the report.

Osaze-Uzzi is quoted by the Punch to have said, “We know the panel has submitted its report to the IG, maybe, he will study it and avail us with the report if need be.”

He added, “If any of our staff has been found culpable, we will deal with him appropriately and then allow the law to take its course. If they are charged to court, then normal administrative process will follow.

“If they are convicted, necessary action will be taken. If they are not convicted, we will examine if they have committed any administrative breach.

“If they have committed any administrative breach we will deal with that administratively, while the police will deal with the criminal aspect of it.”

The police report alleged that three senior election officials collected N20m each out of the N360m allegedly given to key officials by the Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike. Other officials were also said to have received N15m each.