*Documents reveal how the REC was bribed to rig elections for APC
The EFCC investigated the bribery allegation and established that the said N15 million was paid into the INEC REC bank accounts by the Yobe State Governor’s ADC.
President Muhammed Buhari has suppressed moves by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] to prosecute the Yobe State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Habu Hinna Zarma.
The Yobe INEC REC has been found to have received bribe from the Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam through his Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Assistant Superintendent of Police, Zakari Deba.
The disclosure was made in some official EFCC documents exclusively obtained by WazobiaReporters.
The N15 million bribe was made by ASP Zakari Deba through one Bamaaji Mohammed Kukawa on April 8, 2015, three days to the Governorship and House of Assembly elections, which the All Progressives Congress (APC) won.
N8 million out of the N15 million bribe was paid into the INEC REC’s Diamond Bank Plc account number 0029126751, while the remaining N7 million was paid into Zenith Bank Plc account number 1001127288 with DEPOSIT SLIP Numbers: 228108 (N2m), 229365 (N2m) and 229368 N3m).
A petition dated April 28, 2015, was written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Document shows the REC’s Diamond Bank Account State
The EFCC investigated the bribery allegation and established that the said N15 million was paid into the INEC REC bank accounts by the Yobe State Governor’s ADC.
In the EFCC investigation report dated August 11, 2015, the duo of ASP Zakari Deba (Yobe State Governor’s ADC) and Bamaaji Mohammed Kukawa were recommended for prosecution, having been found to have actually bribed the INEC REC.
The report was signed by EFCC Head of Economic Governance, Olufunke Adetayo Ogunbode.
However, while EFCC is yet to commence prosecution of the duo of ASP Zakari Deba and Bamaaji Mohammed Kukawa, sources have revealed to WazobiaReporters that the Presidency was deliberately stalling the prosecution because of the INEC REC.
Though the INEC REC was exonerated by the EFCC, questions are still being asked as to why the REC cashed a sum of N600,000 from his Diamond Bank account via Cheque number 12658129, which he issued in his own name April 9, 2015.
From his Diamond Bank Statement of Account, only N28, 143.60 was in the account as at April 8, 2015 that the N8 million was lodged the account. It was after the N8 million was deposited that the balance in the account rose to N8, 028,143.60.
“The question being asked now is; why did the REC issue a cheque of N600,000 in and cashed the cheque on April 9, 2015 when he knew that the balance in his account was only N28, 143.60?
“How can you issue a cheque in your in name for N600,000 when you should be having less than N30,000 in your account if not that you knew that money had been paid into the account?
“There is no two way about it the Yobe State INEC REC knew that about the N15 million bribe. He was aware of the N8 million deposited into his Diamond Bank account and it was on the strength of this that he withdrew N600,000.
“But because they are shielding the REC, they have also refused to prosecute those that the EFCC recommended for prosecution,” an EFCC source said.
President Buhari has incurred one major moral burden in his anti-corruption fight by his refusal to prosecute Hinna Zarma.
[Source: WazobiaReporters]
