Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) is in trouble after allegedly collecting princely sums as bribes from an out-going governor.

The said REC, it was learnt, was taking orders from the governor contrary to his oath of office.

The governor attempted to smuggle in the ballot papers he printed for the March 18 governorship and House of Assembly elections, it was learnt.

But unknown to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had embossed special security features on its papers.

The headache of the REC was how to refund the huge bribe cash he has collected from the governor.

On Sunday, The Nation exclusively reported that INEC may report two RECs to President Muhammadu Buhari for sanctions because of alleged misconduct and insubordination.

Some RECs were alleged to have engaged in activities capable of sabotaging the general election.

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The same report gave insights into plans by the electoral umpire to carryout disciplinary action on erring officers.

According to investigations, the affected REC allegedly relocated to the Government House in a state controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for instructions on how to conduct elections.

The REC, who is one of the 19 inaugurated about three months before the general election, fell for the mouth-watering offer of the governor.

Although the REC and the governor smartly “manoeuvred the system” during the Presidential election, they failed during the governorship poll.

It was gathered that the plot to swap INEC ballot papers with fake ones did not succeed at the last minutes because of the vigilance of some officers of the electoral commission and other stakeholders.

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The affected REC became a regular face in Government House and he was receiving directives from the governor on vital logistics for the elections.

“The REC virtually became a member of the cabinet of the governor to the bewilderment of other INEC staff in the state.

“We later got to know that the governor parted with irresistible sum in order to hijack INEC operations in the state and produce his successor.

“One of the plans of the governor was to produce ballot papers which will be used to replace those thumb-printed by legitimate voters who might have been captured by Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). The said ballot papers were stored in Government House.

“Also, the governor was not aware that INEC ballot papers had special security features.

“Unfortunately, some of the fake ballot papers were intercepted on the eve of the governorship election by some security agencies. Integrity test indicated that they had no security features like INEC papers.

“The Administrative Officer of INEC in the state was mandated to oversee the technical parts of the governorship and House of Assembly elections.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “The game plan failed and the governor didn’t succeed to produce his successor. The REC is under investigation for his misconduct.”

Another source told our reporter: “The issue between the governor and the REC is how to refund the huge cash . The governor is not ready to accept any excuse.

“The REC has been running from pillar to post having spent part of the cash which he cannot make up. Some influential politicians have been mediating between the two camps because they can be prosecuted later if the deal becomes a public scandal.”

The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) had raised the alarm on the conduct of some RECs.

In a statement, the CTA demanded an inquiry into the conduct of some staff.

The statement reads: “You may recall that CTA and other Civil Society Organisations condemned the appointment of some partisan Resident Electoral Commissioners leading up to the election. It appears that these set of INEC officials habitually work at variance with set guidelines and orders from the INEC headquarters.

“It was alleged that they hoarded result sheets and gave them out to highest bidders who apparently used the result sheets to tamper with actual outcomes of polls from the polling units.

“It was also alleged that these same group of INEC staff hoarded the codes and access to the BVAS hence the non-transmission of results from the polling units as stipulated by law. This is unacceptable and should be discouraged.

“INEC should as a matter of priority, set up an enquiry to investigate its staff, especially some Resident Electoral Commissioners, the Electoral Officers at the LGAs, supervisory presiding officers and dubious ad hoc staff. We ask that all those involved in electoral malpractice should be arrested, prosecuted and punished adequately. This will serve as a deterrent.

“INEC should have the political will to cleanse itself of these putrid impurities that has cast doubts to its integrity and neutrality.”

(Text, excluding headline: The Nation)

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