No fewer than 200 Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials have been queried for allegedly collecting bribe during the 2015 elections, The Nation reports.
About N23.29billion was allegedly paid out to INEC officials in a desperate bid to change the results of the election, which President Muhammadu Buhari won. The cash, according to investigators, came from former Oil Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke.
A panel headed by National Commissioner Baba Shetiima Arfo is investigating the alleged involvement of some INEC employees in the scam.
Apart from internal sanctions by INEC, those found wanting after the probe are to be released to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.
One of those under interrogation for the scam, former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Gesil Khan, has applied to travel abroad for medical care.
Khan is under investigation by the EFCC for allegedly collecting N185, 842,000 out of a N681 million bribe.
The anti-graft agency is weighing whether to release her seized travel document or not, because some suspects have hidden under medical trips to escape trial.
Alison-Madueke is under EFCC probe over her alleged involvement in the $115m (N23, 299,705, 000 billion) scandal.
Four oil firms, 14 directors of oil companies, two banks, two RECs, more than 16 INEC directors and 82 others are also under investigation.
INEC is considering a report sent to it by the EFCC.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “About 200 INEC employees who have been implicated in one way or the other in the poll bribery scandal have so far been queried.
__________
Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng
Copyright 2015 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.