EFCC detains Abia REC over alleged N20 million bribe in 2015 Election

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is detaining Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Sylvester Ezeani for alleged N20 million scam.

Ezeani was the REC in Cross River State during the March 28, 2015, Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

Also, a member of the House of Representatives (Oron Constituency, Akwa Ibom State), Nse Bassey Ekpenyong, has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a certificate forgery scam.

Also yesterday, Dr. Doyin Okupe, a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, was grilled again for allegedly collecting N15million from Destra Nigeria Limited, a company owned by a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh.

About N400million was paid into the account of Destra Nigeria Limited by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki.

Metuh has opted to return the N400million under a plea bargain deal.

While serving in Cross River State, Ezeani allegedly collected N20million out of the N241million which was given to Cross River State from the controversial $115million provided by the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison- Madueke.

“ Ezeani, who has now been redeployed to Abia State, was quizzed for his involvement in the scam,”.

Ekpenyong ran into trouble when a Non- Governmental Organisation petitioned the EFCC, alleging that he committed perjury and financial crimes by submitting a forged Ordinary National Diploma/ Statement of Result of the Abia State Polytechnic to INEC in the build-up to the 2015 National Assembly election.

“ The petitioner also alleged that Ekpenyong fraudulently obtained salaries, allowances and other financial benefits from his contrived certificate.” The source said, adding: “Investigations by the EFCC showed that Ekpenyong did not attend the Polytechnic as alleged by the petitioner and the Ordinary National Diploma did not emanate from the institution.

“Further investigations are on-going on the case. Ekpenyong has been released on bail. Ezeani is in the custody of the Commission.”

The EFCC has been probing Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s alleged involvement in a $115m (N23, 299,705,000billion) 2015 poll bribery scandal.

Four oil firms, 14 directors of oil companies, two banks and more than 22 INEC officials, including RECs, are under investigation too.

Some INEC officers already grilled are REC Gesil Khan for allegedly collecting N185, 842,000 out of a N681million bribe; Fidelia Omoile ( Electoral Officer in Isoko-South Local Government Area of Delta State)—N112,480,000 ; Uluochi Obi Brown( INEC’s Administrative Secretary in Delta State)—N111,500,000; a former Deputy Director of INEC in Cross River state, Edem Okon Effanga—N241,127,000 and the Head of Voter Education in INEC in Akwa Ibom, Immaculata Asuquo—N214,127,000.

Also, a retired INEC official, Sani Isa, was grilled for N406,206,000 bribe allegedly collected on behalf of the deceased Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kano State, Alhaji Mukaila Abdullahi.

Okupe, a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, was grilled again for allegedly collecting N15million.

Another source added: “Out of the N400million paid to Destra Nigeria Limited, we have traced N15million to Okupe. The company is owned by Olisa Metuh, who is on trial for alleged N400m fraud.

“So, we interrogated Okupe on Tuesday but he could not explain the purpose of such a remittance into his account.

“You will recall that Okupe was one of those who went to court as Metuh’s witness.”