Ekiti rerun: Panic in INEC over Yar’Adua’s order on bribery probe By Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja

Uneasy calm has pervaded the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Abuja, following President Umaru Yar’Adua’s order that the alleged bribery in the Ekiti State governorship rerun election be probed.

Yar’Adua, who was worried by the outcome of the rerun election, said the exercise was a set back to his government’s electoral reforms agenda and directed security agencies to probe the bribery, violence and manipulations that characterised the poll and prosecute culprits.

It was gathered that the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Maurice Iwu, had become so worried about the development.

He had, therefore, planned to address the press on Friday (today), but cancelled it late on Thursday based on an advice.

Iwu’s anxiety was reportedly compounded by police quizzing of more INEC staff, namely: Messrs Okey Ndeche, Chukwudi Odekpe and John Onaji on Wednesday.

Also questioned was Mr. Yomi Olumide, who Onaji allegedly said offered the Greek gift to the INEC staff deployed to Ido-Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

Disagreement was reported to have broken out between Mr. J.B Awelewa, a Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Unit, and the three suspects during interrogation.

Onaji maintained that all those who went to Ekiti for the rerun election must be invited for questioning, adding that it was wrong to bring those considered as friends of Olumide.

The police had on Thursday last week held a meeting with 31 suspects earlier invited for interrogation.

Police also questioned Awelewa on why only 31 of the suspects were invited instead of 200 members of staff that went for the Ekiti poll.

However, the police officer dismissed Onaji’s query on the gounds that he knew nothing about police work and was not in a position to tell him how to discharge his duties.

Olumide, it was gathered, denied giving any monetary inducement to the INEC staff.

But he did not deny having met or known Onaji who claimed he was the source of the slush funds.

As Olumide denied releasing the cash,Onaji thundered and demanded to know why he told him and others that he had settled one of them and that they would receive their own money from the said officer.

Onaji, who opened the Pandora’s box in his written statemenet dated April 30, 2009, claimed that Olumide addressed INEC staff at Federal Technical Science Secondary School on April 24, after arriving at Ido-Osi Local Government Area for the rerun poll.

The source said, “There was a shouting match between them and it was glaring that someone was not saying the truth.

“While Olumide denied giving money for distribution, Onaji on the other hand, asked him to explain what he told them to collect, and why he said they were to get between N100, 000 and N200, 000 after the exercise.

“One of them asked that a particular INEC official be called to shed more light on the issue but Awelewa was non committal as to whether he would accede to the request.

“Already, the INEC top management is confused and is jittery that this issue could shorten its tenure.”