The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has found over
N675.1m in the bank accounts of different Independent National Electoral
Commission officials in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta states.
N675.1m in the bank accounts of different Independent National Electoral
Commission officials in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta states.
According to the anti-graft agency, the money was received
and shared by the officials during the last governorship elections.
and shared by the officials during the last governorship elections.
Punch correspondents gathered that the Resident Electoral
Commissioner in the 2015 election in Rivers State, Mrs. Gesila Khan, and other
officials of INEC are already in EFCC custody. Khan was quizzed by the
Department of State Services in July last year but was never charged.
Commissioner in the 2015 election in Rivers State, Mrs. Gesila Khan, and other
officials of INEC are already in EFCC custody. Khan was quizzed by the
Department of State Services in July last year but was never charged.
However, Sunday Punch learnt that Khan and four others were
arrested on Thursday, by the zonal office of the EFCC in Port Harcourt, the
Rivers State capital.
arrested on Thursday, by the zonal office of the EFCC in Port Harcourt, the
Rivers State capital.
The residences of all the suspects were subsequently
searched and incriminating documents were said to have been recovered by the
commission.
searched and incriminating documents were said to have been recovered by the
commission.
According to impeccable sources at the EFCC, Khan, who is
now the REC in Cross River State, allegedly received N185.8m ahead of the March
28 and April 11, 2015 election.
now the REC in Cross River State, allegedly received N185.8m ahead of the March
28 and April 11, 2015 election.
A source at the EFCC, who did not want his name in print,
said Khan had made confessional statements and was cooperating with the
commission.
said Khan had made confessional statements and was cooperating with the
commission.
He alleged that Khan received money through a special bank
account and the commission had received overwhelming evidence.
account and the commission had received overwhelming evidence.
He said, “Khan was the REC in Rivers State in 2015 election
before she was transferred to Cross River early this year. She was said to have
received N185.8m. She has made confessional statements.”
before she was transferred to Cross River early this year. She was said to have
received N185.8m. She has made confessional statements.”
The anti-graft agency also arrested one Edem Okon Essanga,
who is a retired INEC official. Essanga was arrested alongside his alleged
accomplice, Immaculata Asuquo, who is the Head, Voter Education, INEC, Akwa
Ibom State.
who is a retired INEC official. Essanga was arrested alongside his alleged
accomplice, Immaculata Asuquo, who is the Head, Voter Education, INEC, Akwa
Ibom State.
Essanga was alleged to have received over N240m which he
shared among INEC ad hoc workers during the last election.
shared among INEC ad hoc workers during the last election.
“Essanga received N241.1m during the general election. He
admitted receiving the money and confirmed sharing it with different ad hoc
workers during the election. His accomplice Asuquo has also been arrested,” the
source added.
admitted receiving the money and confirmed sharing it with different ad hoc
workers during the election. His accomplice Asuquo has also been arrested,” the
source added.
The source also disclosed that the EFCC had arrested one
Fidelia Omoile who was the INEC electoral officer in Isoko-South Local
Government Area, Delta State.
Fidelia Omoile who was the INEC electoral officer in Isoko-South Local
Government Area, Delta State.
Apart from tracing over N112m to her, the commission also
recovered some sensitive electoral materials during a search of her apartments
in Edo and Delta states.
recovered some sensitive electoral materials during a search of her apartments
in Edo and Delta states.
“She received N112.4m during the 2015 general election. A
search warrant was executed at her residences in Asaba and Benin. Sensitive
materials used in the 2015 elections were recovered, including evidence of the
suspicious bank transaction and land documents that will assist us in our
investigations,” the source said.
search warrant was executed at her residences in Asaba and Benin. Sensitive
materials used in the 2015 elections were recovered, including evidence of the
suspicious bank transaction and land documents that will assist us in our
investigations,” the source said.
The commission also arrested one Oluchi Obi Brown who was
the INEC administrative secretary in Delta State. She allegedly received over
N111m.
the INEC administrative secretary in Delta State. She allegedly received over
N111m.
Further investigations by detectives revealed that Brown had
about $75,000 in an account in the United States.
about $75,000 in an account in the United States.
“Oluchi received N111.5m during the general election.
Investigations showed that she operates a foreign account with the Bank of
America. As of February this year, the account balance was $75,857, (N24,
274,240),” the source added.
Investigations showed that she operates a foreign account with the Bank of
America. As of February this year, the account balance was $75,857, (N24,
274,240),” the source added.
The sum total of the money found in the bank accounts of the
INEC officials is N675.1m.
INEC officials is N675.1m.
When asked if the anti-graft agency had recovered any funds,
the source said efforts were being made to recover the funds in Nigeria and
abroad.
the source said efforts were being made to recover the funds in Nigeria and
abroad.
He said the commission was banking on using the confessional
statements of the suspects to catch the ‘big fish.’
statements of the suspects to catch the ‘big fish.’
But the INEC has claimed ignorance of the development,
saying it is not sure of the story.
saying it is not sure of the story.
The Deputy Director
of Publicity and Voters Education of the commission, Mr. Nick Danzang, told our
correspondent that he was unable to either confirm or deny the story.
of Publicity and Voters Education of the commission, Mr. Nick Danzang, told our
correspondent that he was unable to either confirm or deny the story.
“I’m not in town, but I have made calls. Nobody seems to
know what is happening,” he said.
know what is happening,” he said.
All attempts to get the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for
Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umana, to react to the matter
proved abortive as he turned down calls from our correspondent. He did not also
respond to text message sent to his phone.
Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umana, to react to the matter
proved abortive as he turned down calls from our correspondent. He did not also
respond to text message sent to his phone.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Governor,
Mr. Ekerette Udo, who responded to the call, declined any comment on the issue.
Mr. Ekerette Udo, who responded to the call, declined any comment on the issue.
But the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr.
Paul Ekpo, who responded to the call from our correspondent, said he was
unaware of such development and he didn’t know either Efanga or Immaculata.
Paul Ekpo, who responded to the call from our correspondent, said he was
unaware of such development and he didn’t know either Efanga or Immaculata.
Reacting, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and
Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, told Sunday Punch that the investigation
or arrest of Gesila Khan had nothing to do with Governor Nyesom Wike, the
Rivers State Government or the state Peoples Democratic Party.
Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, told Sunday Punch that the investigation
or arrest of Gesila Khan had nothing to do with Governor Nyesom Wike, the
Rivers State Government or the state Peoples Democratic Party.
Tam-George explained that security agencies, including the
EFCC, appeared to be conducting politically-targeted arrests since the
beginning of the current political dispensation.
EFCC, appeared to be conducting politically-targeted arrests since the
beginning of the current political dispensation.
“We believe there is now a universal consensus that the
security agencies, including the EFCC, appear to be conducting
politically-targeted arrests since the beginning of this political
dispensation.
security agencies, including the EFCC, appear to be conducting
politically-targeted arrests since the beginning of this political
dispensation.
“Mrs. Khan has particularly been viciously castigated by the
All Progressives Congress for her steadfastness and incorruptible stance during
the general election in Rivers State in April 2015.
All Progressives Congress for her steadfastness and incorruptible stance during
the general election in Rivers State in April 2015.
“The fact that the governorship election she supervised in
Rivers was ultimately validated by the Supreme Court speaks of her integrity.
The world will watch closely to see if Mrs. Khan is being persecuted for her
lofty principles and belief in popular democracy in Nigeria.”
Rivers was ultimately validated by the Supreme Court speaks of her integrity.
The world will watch closely to see if Mrs. Khan is being persecuted for her
lofty principles and belief in popular democracy in Nigeria.”
The Chief Press Secretary to the Delta State Governor,
Charles Aniagwu, while responding, said the government agencies should do their
work diligently.
Charles Aniagwu, while responding, said the government agencies should do their
work diligently.
“Let the INEC (and EFCC) find out where the person got the
money from. We cannot begin to talk about what we do not know anything about. I
do not know about the person. We are not involved. The person accused of having
N100m in his or her account should be able to explain the source of the money.
We do not need to bribe people to get votes. We do not buy a crowd. We have the
crowd behind us already. It is those who do not have the crowd behind them that
can buy people with money. We do not buy people with money. We do not engage in
bribery and corruption. The governor is a grass roots person,” Aniagwu said.
money from. We cannot begin to talk about what we do not know anything about. I
do not know about the person. We are not involved. The person accused of having
N100m in his or her account should be able to explain the source of the money.
We do not need to bribe people to get votes. We do not buy a crowd. We have the
crowd behind us already. It is those who do not have the crowd behind them that
can buy people with money. We do not buy people with money. We do not engage in
bribery and corruption. The governor is a grass roots person,” Aniagwu said.
However, the Ijaw Youth Council. Worldwide has demanded the
immediate release of the arrested officials, insisting that they are innocent.
immediate release of the arrested officials, insisting that they are innocent.
Eric Omare, the group’s spokesman, said in a statement that
Khan, who is also an Ijaw, was a victim of witch-hunt.
Khan, who is also an Ijaw, was a victim of witch-hunt.
He said. “Mrs. Khan, had gone to the office of the EFCC to
honour an invitation and having met with the EFCC team, they demanded for a
first class traditional ruler or holder of the national honour of Commander of
the Niger (CON) to stand surety to bail her. However, when the surety was made
available on Thursday, the 14th of April, 2016, the EFCC at Port Harcourt
claimed that they no longer knew her whereabouts.”
honour an invitation and having met with the EFCC team, they demanded for a
first class traditional ruler or holder of the national honour of Commander of
the Niger (CON) to stand surety to bail her. However, when the surety was made
available on Thursday, the 14th of April, 2016, the EFCC at Port Harcourt
claimed that they no longer knew her whereabouts.”
“This is an illegal conduct and flagrant abuse of power by
the EFCC in the guise of fighting corruption. While all well-meaning Nigerians
and organisations, including the IYC have over the years supported efforts at
stamping out corruption from Nigeria, we insist that such a fight must be done
within the ambit of the law.”
the EFCC in the guise of fighting corruption. While all well-meaning Nigerians
and organisations, including the IYC have over the years supported efforts at
stamping out corruption from Nigeria, we insist that such a fight must be done
within the ambit of the law.”
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