The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Thursday said 25 of its workers have been indicted by the report of the Joint Police/DSS Special Investigation Panel on the Rivers State rerun elections of December 10, 2017 and will be prosecuted.
They were indicted for allegedly collecting N111.3m during the rerun elections, which was later recovered, the panel said
Soyebi assured that the commission would cooperate with the police to ensure the prosecution of the indicted officials.
Soyebi also disclosed that the indicted 25 officials and three would face disciplinary action “for gross misconduct, dereliction of duty and negligence” for their roles in the Rivers rerun.
The commission however commended Prof. Ralph Echebiri and Prof. Oji Ekemankama both of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, who served in Rivers-West and Rivers-East senatorial districts respectively and the Divisional Police Officer who served at the Phalga Local Government Area at the time of the elections.
Also two corps members, Aguna Isaac and Ademola Oluwatoba, who served as the Presiding Officers during the election, would be given automatic employment on completion of their service, Soyebi said.
He said, “The commission received the report of the Joint Police/DSS Special Investigation Panel on the Rivers State rerun elections of December 10, 2016. From the report, we gathered that the police have concluded their investigations and the 25 INEC (members of ) staff who were indicted will be prosecuted.
“The commission has resolved to fully cooperate with the police in this process. In addition and without prejudice to their prosecution, the indicted INEC (members of) staff will also face the commission’s internal disciplinary process. The commission wishes to reiterate very clearly that it will not shield any of its (member of) staff that engages in any conduct that will undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
“The commission also considered the Report of its Administrative Inquiry into the December 10, 2016, Rivers State rerun elections and accepted its recommendations that all the 28 indicted (members of) staff should face internal disciplinary action for gross misconduct, dereliction of duty and negligence.”
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