The Police in Abuja have quizzed some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission allegedly involved in the illegal substitution of candidates for the general elections.
It was learnt that the police moved into action on Monday following petitions by some politicians adversely affected by the activities of the syndicate.
Sources at the headquarters of INEC told one of our correspondents on Wednesday that seven officers in the commission’s legal departments in Abuja and Awka, Anambra State, had so far been grilled by a police team led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police.
It was learnt that the aggrieved politicians who wrote to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, included a former Minister of Water Transport, Mr. John Emeka, and the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Communications, Mr. Dave Salako.
THE PUNCH learnt that the police received a complaint that a serving Peoples Democratic Party Senator from Anambra State was involved in forging the result of party primaries as well as court papers in his bid to return to the Senate.
Emeka had emerged as the PDP candidate for Anambra North, Senatorial District, but was replaced with a serving senator based on a court order.
His counsel, Damien Dodo (SAN), consequently requested for a certified true copy of the results of the PDP primaries as well as the court order. The request exposed a number of inconsistencies which led to the discovery of the alleged forgeries.
The court order was reportedly given in the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/189/2011 on March 17 and dated March 18. While the stamp on the order indicated March 18, the content of the order showed that it (order) was given on January 31
The result of the PDP primary on the basis of which the order was given was discovered to be fake.
INEC officials have kept sealed lips over the issue, stressing that since investigations were on-going, it would be premature to comment on it.
Salako emerged as candidate from the primaries conducted by the Ogun State PDP faction loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. But in the list of House candidates posted on INEC website on Monday night, he had been substituted with Mr. Oladipupo Adebutu.
Curiously, Adebutu’s name appeared as a candidate of both the PDP and the Peoples Party of Nigeria for different constituencies.
When contacted on the probe led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, the Force Public Relations Officer, Sola Amore, said he was unaware of it (investigation).
Meanwhile, the police in Anambra State have arrested one Kingsley Ezenwenyi in Awka, Anambra State, for being in possession of election documents, including result sheets.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, said on Wednesday that Ezenwenyi was arrested in a hotel.
He listed the documents as Form EC 8A with serial number, 01008997 (original copy and a duplicate); 56 copies of Form EC 8(R) – Publication of result of poll; and Form EC8B (II) – Summary of Results from Polling Stations (for the election to the House of Representatives, collation at registration Area Level).
Onukaogu said, “It was gathered that the suspect was in the INEC State Office in the morning of March 22. He was found to have copied from the INEC notice board, the list of postings of the electoral officers released by the commission’s state office Monday, March 21, 2011.
“I have examined all the exhibits recovered from the suspect and found out that they were unlawfully procured.
“The commission has not released any format on what election result forms would look like in the forthcoming general election.”
By John Alechenu and Emmanuel Obe
Courtesy of: Punch
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