Admin l Wednesday, April 12, 2017
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has suspended 205 officials and placed them on half salary for allegedly accepting bribe to influence outcome of the 2015 election.
The suspension was announced based on the report of the Commission’s committee set up to look into an interim report by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing some of its officials of fraud during the 2015 general elections.
A statement issued by INEC National Commissioner, Mr Mohammed Haruna explained that based on their level of involvement, two hundred and five (205) serving INEC staff will be immediately placed on interdiction, which entails suspension from duties and being placed on half salary, pending the final determination of the cases they have with the EFCC.
“Seventy staff (70), about whom there was insufficient information regarding their involvement, will be referred back to EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“Out of over 23 billion Naira which the EFCC report said was used to influence the elections, the Committee established that 3,046,829,000 Naira was received by INEC staff in 16 states.
INEC said it will continue to take stern measures against officials who compromise its core values of integrity, transparency and impartiality in the conduct of elections.
