In spite of promises made by the Chairman of the Independent
National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega to check the excesses of his
officials with a view at curbing electoral malpractices during the forthcoming
Governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled to take place on
Saturday, April 11, 2015, there are fears that the elections may be highly
compromised.
Investigations by The Beam reveals that in Rivers State, 18
out of 25 Electoral Officers who were allegedly paid the sum of N15m each
during the last presidential elections are now being offered the sum of N25m
each to ensure a landslide victory for the Peoples Democratic Party.
A source within the party's hierarchy who has secretly
pitched tent with the ruling APC in the state disclosed this to our
correspondent. Though he pleaded anonymity for fear of being killed, the source
confirmed that the monies would again be paid in foreign currencies to the
officers who were said to have been threatened by the candidate of the PDP, that
if they failed to comply, he would expose them with evidence.
The compromising E0s were said to have chosen to play. Ball
rather than lose their jobs if they are eventually exposed.
It was also revealed that 5 out of the 23 E0s were not
approached during the last elections as they were suspected to be disciplined
and would not play ball.
Meanwhile, sources at the INEC headquarters in Abuja
revealed that the Chairman of the Commission has alerted the security agencies
over the case of Rivers State while the Inspector General of Police, Suleman
Abba has placed a close tab on. The officials of INEC in the state more so,
with the protest by 13 political parties today at the Commission's
headquarters, calling for the transfer of the Rivers State Resident Electoral
Commission, Mrs. Gezila Khan over alleged electoral breaches in favour the PDP
during the last Presidential elections in which the PDP polled a suspicious
1.4million votes while it allegedly won all the seats in the National Assembly
polls.
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