Corruption: FG Halts Charges Against Deziani

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is set to arraign over 100 Electoral Officials, over bribery allegations, with the exemption of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The Electoral Officers, were accused of receiving part of the $115 million (N23 billion), allegedly disbursed by the former Minister, during the countdown to the 2015 Presidential election.

According to the charge sheet, Diezani was not part of the suit, as the Presidency might have recoiled, by exonerating her from any wrong doing.

The former Oil Minister, had in a number of times through her Lawyers, declared her innocence against all corruption allegations filed against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Sources within the EFCC, revealed that the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, have already filed charges against the Electoral Officers.

source at the EFCC said, “You will recall that the EFCC started investigating the INEC officials in the South-South in March, and we arrested several officials, including the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, during the 2015 election, Gesila Khan.

“However, further investigations revealed that the bribery took place across Nigeria, and so all the EFCC zonal offices started conducting investigations simultaneously.

“We have sent reports to the Chairman, and he is expected to meet with the INEC Chairman, on Thursday. Some of the Electoral Officials were not INEC employees, but Ad hoc staff. Some of the officials collected money through their bank accounts, while some collected cash.”

Recall, that the EFCC had in April, arrested the Resident Electoral Commissioner, in the 2015 elections in Rivers State, Mrs. Gesila Khan, and other officials of INEC, that conducted elections in Delta, and Akwa Ibom States.

Khan, had been quizzed by the Department of State Services, DSS, in July last year, but was never charged.

According to impeccable sources at the EFCC, Khan, who is now the REC in Cross River State, allegedly received N185.8 million, ahead of the March 28, and April 11, 2015 elections.

A source alleged that Khan received the money through a special bank account, and the Commission had received overwhelming evidence.

Other Electoral Officers were also arrested.