The
police are holding 23 Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
officials for their roles in the Rivers State rerun elections.
Besides, the Special Investigation Panel
has asked INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to release the agency’s
administrative secretaries in Anambra and Plateau states for
interrogation.
The police informed INEC of the arrests
in two letters to the chairman by the Chairman of the Special Joint
Investigation Panel, DCP Damian Okoro.
The letters, which were exclusively obtained by The Nation, indicated that “further development will be communicated to INEC chairman.”
The first letter reads in part: “I write
to inform you of the arrest of the under-listed staff of the commission
who served in the 10th December 2016 Rivers State National/State
Legislative re-run elections.
“The names of the officers and present
posting are: Ewatade P. Taiwo (Oyo); Aminu Karimu (Oyo); Adedokun Najeem
Ayotunde (Oyo); Balogun Funmilayo (Oyo); Agams O. Kadiri (Oyo);
Akinwande R. Adesoji(Oyo); Lukeman Olabimpe(Oyo); Tiamiyu R.
Arowolo(Oyo); Akinwoye Amodu A (Anambra) and Iro Abali Mba(Anambra).
“Others are Enuke Patrick(Anambra);
Nwosu Oluchi G.(Anambra); Arukwe Chinelo(Anambra); Henry
Owokure(Anambra); Nwoha Yusuf(Anambra); Hussaina Yahaya Tanko(Plateau);
Gayus Hassan(Plateau); Ivase Stephen Aondona(Plateau); Abdullahi
Ogabo(Plateau); Gwatana Jibril Joseph( Plateau); and Mohammed L.
Sittu(Plateau).”
The second letter, which is dated
January 16, 2017, states: “My earlier letter dated 13th January 2017 in
respect of the arrest of 21 electoral officers who served as Electoral
Officers in the 10th December 2016 Rivers State National/ State
Legislative re-run elections refers.
“I wish to inform you that Mrs. Mary
Tunkoyo, the electoral officer at Emohua LGA and Mr. James Ogwuche who
served as electoral officer at Ahoada West LGA are also in custody of
the panel.
“More so, in the course of the
investigation, the need to seek certain clarification/information from
the Administrative Secretaries of Anambra and Plateau states has become
imperative.
“You are kindly requested to inform and
release the two officers for interview at the Special Joint
Investigation Panel at Commissioners Lounge, Ground Floor, Nigeria
Police Force Headquarters, Abuja.”
“The panel is questioning some of those invited.
“One key area of investigation which led
to the invitation of the electoral officers borders on alleged bribery
of poll officers, interference with voting process by politicians and
outright snatching of ballot boxes. These electoral officers are at
advantage in giving more insights into what happened during the re-run
elections,” a source said, adding:
“So far, all the officers are innocent until the investigation panel establishes any case beyond reasonable doubt against them.”
The 15-man panel, headed by DCP Damien
Okoro, comprises the police and the Department of State Services (DSS)
with investigative, forensic and technical experts.
“The panel is to
- Conduct a thorough investigation into the role of security agents before, during and after the election;
- examine the role of any police officer or security agent whose actions or activities individually or collectively was detrimental to the good conduct of the elections;
- conduct a forensic analysis on the audio report released by Sahara Reporters as it concerns the election.
- examine any other matter that is relevant to the conduct of the elections, and make recommendations and implementation strategies to guide future elections.’
But Wike on Monday approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court for an order stopping the probe.
In the ex-parte motion by his counsel,
Chief Mike Ozekhome( SAN,), Wike prayed the court to “restrain the
defendants or their agents from enforcing or executing matters contained
in a letter the IGP wrote to Wike on December 20, 2016 on the probe”.
Read more at: The Nation
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