The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday, questioned 11 officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over their involvement in alleged sharing of N120 million during last year’s general elections.
A source close to the investigations informed The Guardian that the officials were quizzed at the Gombe office of the EFCC and were electoral officers in charge of the 11 Councils of Gombe State.
“Most of the suspects confessed to receiving millions of naira for their local governments. Two of the officials actually served as negotiators for the money. They received the money on behalf of all, and transferred it to the rest.
“The Electoral Officers for Akko LGA and Gombe LG, Ahmed Ali Biu, and Mohammed. B. Zannah, admitted collecting the bribe from one Yunusa Ali Biri, who acted as Gombe State coordinator of bribes for electoral officers in the state. “Biri was known and addressed as coordinator of NGO, a euphemism or code, used to cover the activities of the two parties.
“At the meeting of the State coordinator, Biu, and Zannah as Electoral officers lodged at Corner Alheri, opposite NNPC mega station, in Gombe, where both parties agreed to share the bribe per polling unit in each local government and part of the bribe should go to adhoc staff employed and deployed to each polling station across the State,” an operative told The Guardian yesterday.
He further stated that some of the suspects had alleged that those who negotiated for the money did not release all the money to the local governments, as only N88 million was said to have been shared.
As at yesterday, 18 other electoral officers were still at the EFCC office in Gombe.
As at yesterday, 18 other electoral officers were still at the EFCC office in Gombe.
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