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The electoral officer in charge of Ibi Local Government Area, Taraba State is now in police custody for allegedly collecting the sum of N20 million from a House of Representative candidate to influence the result of last Saturday presidential election in his favour.
The electoral officer in charge of Ibi Local Government Area, Taraba State is now in police custody for allegedly collecting the sum of N20 million from a House of Representative candidate to influence the result of last Saturday presidential election in his favour.
The electoral officer, whose name was given as Hassan Abubakar, was
alleged to have struck a deal with a sitting member of the House of
Representative to hand over the ballot papers for Nwonyo 2 ward to give
the candidate an edge over his main challenger.
Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr.
Joseph Kwaji, told THISDAY that the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) official would have been killed by aggrieved youths
but for the timely arrival of the police area commander at the scene.
Kwaji further explained that during the election, voters in the area
discovered that ballot papers meant for House of Representatives were
tampered with and the angry youths, suspecting foul play, swooped on the
electoral officer and almost lynched him to death before the police
came to his rescue. Election in the area was subsequently suspended and
rescheduled till Sunday to guarantee the integrity of the exercise.
The police spokesman however said investigation into the matter to
ascertain what actually transpired is ongoing stressing that the outcome
of the investigation would be made public.
When contacted, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in state
Alhaji Ahmad Makama, said the electoral officer had been removed and now
with police. Makama, equally confirmed that the accused person is in
police custody further revealed that he has informed the Chairman of
INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, of the development who directed that the
election should be postponed till Sunday.
He, however, revealed that he had deployed one of the Head of
Department in the commission to Ibi Local Government Area to conduct the
election which was postponed in some wards of the local government.
culled from thisday
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