‘Electoral fraud’: INEC queries 202 staff members

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has issued 202 queries to its staff members in connection with election malpractices.

Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the commission, made this known in Abuja while briefing civil society organsiations under the umbrella of Situation Room, on Thursday.

Yakubu said the commission will not tolerate violation of the electoral act no matter who is involved.

“So far, we have issued 202 queries to the staff mentioned in the interim EFCC report covering election in 16 states but we have finished work on 14 of the 16 states; whatever action we need to take will be taken,” he said.

“We will ensure that there is no more violation of the electoral act and we will spare no one who is perpetuating it.”

He said after what happened in Rivers, the commission had to set up its own administrative inquiry which indicted a number of staff members.

“Whoever is charged to court for that kind of offence is interdicted, meaning the staff would be suspended and placed on half salary until proven otherwise and that is what we have done,” he said.

Yakubu said the staff remained innocent under INEC’s law until proven guilty, adding that the commission had begun to plan immediately for the 2019 elections, with a draft likely to be presented to major stakeholders in a few weeks’ time.

He said budget wise, INEC was considering breaking the budget over a two year period.

He said the early preparation would also afford INEC the opportunity to ensure that political parties did the right thing with regards to selection of candidates.