EFCC detains INEC REC over N20m Deizani cash

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, detained the Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner for collecting N20 million bribe to influence the outcome of the 2015 Presidential election in favour  of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. EFCC operatives Mr. Sylvester Ezeani, who was deployed to Cross Rivers State to conduct the election, reportedly took the money, which was part of the N241 million released out of the $115 million lodged with Fidelity Bank by immediate past Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to manipulate the poll. While he was quizzed for many hours in Port Harcourt, Ezeani told his interrogators what he knew about the cash but the operatives, who appeared unsatisfied with his answers, kept him in their custody, pending further interrogation. It was not clear when he would be granted administrative bail. The arrest and detention of the REC, coincided with the interrogation of the member representing Oron Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State, who was arrested and quizzed over what the EFCC called involvement in certificate forgery scam. Ekpenyong is said to have run into trouble when a Non- Governmental Organization petitioned the EFCC, alleging that he committed perjury and financial crimes by submitting a forged Ordinary National Diploma/ Statement of Result purported to have been issued by the Abia State Polytechnic to INEC in the build up to the 2015 National Assembly election. The petitioner also alleged that Ekpenyong fraudulently obtained salaries, allowances and other financial benefits from his contrived certificate. EFCC’s investigations, however, showed that Ekpenyong did not attend the said polytechnic as alleged by the petitioner and the Ordinary National Diploma did not emanate from the institution. “Ekpenyong has been released on bail while further investigations will continue,” the EFCC said. In the meantime, the former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, was yesterday, quizzed for the third time in one month by the EFCC over cash receipts from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.