We’ll expose govs offering us gifts –RECs
Edo State REC, Mr. Mike Igini
Resident Electoral Commissioners
have threatened to expose governors and top government officials that
offer them gifts, saying their conscience is not for sale.
They said their major duty was to ensure
the credibility of the forthcoming general elections in the interest of
peaceful co-existence of the country.
The RECs, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH
in separate interviews during the week, said the governors and
politicians’ gifts would be considered as bribing them against their
conscience.
They, however, threatened to expose whoever offers them any ‘Greek gift’ no matter how highly placed the person may be.
The Kwara State REC, Dr. Emmanuel
Onucheyo, said he was not ready to receive any gift from any politician,
including the state governor.
He said the intention of such gifts – financial and non-monetary – were meant to compromise and influence the election results.
Onucheyo said INEC had made a lot of
provisions and comforts for the RECs such that none of them should be
tempted to receive any gift.
According to him, there are many gadgets that will expose any INEC official who collects bribe.
“We are living in an age where even a biro is a camera,” Onucheyo said.
The Ekiti State REC, Mr. Sam Olumekun,
told politicians that they could not bribe their way to victory in the
forthcoming elections.
Olumekun, said, “It is unimaginable for a
governor or any politician to give monetary or non-monetary gifts to a
REC or his spouse, especially when elections are around the corner.
“We should think about the people, no governor would offer me such gift and I won’t accept if offered.
“The commission has advised officials to
stay away from politicians. INEC is determined to conduct a transparent
and credible election; we will not be distracted. Our conscience will
not be for sale.”
Apart from the fact that the Oyo State
REC, Rufus Akeju, said he would disregard gifts offered by politicians,
he advised his colleagues to mind their relationship with governors.
“If we are seeking free and fair
elections, we should be mindful of our position and relationship with
politicians. The policy is that you don’t meet anyone for anything,”
Akeju said.
On the classification of favours to RECs
from governors during election period, he said such favour would be
deemed a bribe depending on what was offered and what the demand was.
Akeju said, “A smart person will not ask
or demand for anything at this crucial time. The election is around the
corner and if anybody offers the corner anything as a politician or
governor, then there is something behind it.”
In one of the South-South states
controlled by PDP, a former REC (identity withheld) had rejected a posh
car and lavish accommodation presented to him on assumption of office in
2010.
It was gathered that the then Chief of
Staff to the governor, who is currently aspiring into the National
Assembly, had approached the REC and made the presentation which
included cash gift running into millions of naira, but the concerned REC
turned down the offer.
In a recent interview granted one of our
correspondents shortly before he was redeployed to Edo State, the
immediate past REC of Cross River, Mr. Mike Igini, said it was wrong for
an electoral umpire in the state to demand favour from politicians.
Asked why RECs seemed loyal to governors
in the state where they work, Igini said, “Loyal in what terms? RECs
have their primary loyalty to the Nigerian citizen guided by the
legislative mandates as spelt out in the Constitution, Electoral Act,
and other germane laws and guidelines.
He said, “Governors are respected public
servants, while they hold that office, every citizen must accord them
the dignity related to that office, and the dignity accorded every human
being, but loyalty must be qualified, it is an adjective that is
dynamic to the context in which it is used. If you mean civil loyalty
relating to compliance with state laws of which a state governor is the
chief custodian, that is appropriate, but if you mean political loyalty,
that is an aberration and complete abomination.”
When also asked if RECs rely on
governors for provision of logistics, Igini said, “When you seek
assistance of the kind you are talking about, you lose your moral
authority to lead and enforce compliance and that is why people like me
would not indulge in such reprehensible conduct.
“There is no logistics that a REC or
state INEC office requires that demands or justifies political loyalty
from any office other than the INEC headquarters and the Nigerian
constitution, none that I am aware of.
“I have been here for over four years
and I have not taken even a glass of water from politicians and they all
would confirm that to whoever cares to find out. I have never
compromised or surrender the pristine values of a true umpire but rather
I have been true to them to the glory of God.”
The Ondo State REC, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje,
who also talked tough on the matter, said he would not hesitate to
expose any politician who attempts to compromise him.
He said, “Any form of gifts or favour at
this time when election is at hand is unacceptable. A politician or a
governor who has not talked to you before and now calls you to give you a
favour or gifts, you should know there is something fishy about that
and we have to be careful.
“If any politician offers me a gift I
will expose him, at least to my organisation because such gifts or
favours could also be used as blackmail. So, it is better to make it
known in the interest of the integrity of INEC.”
Asked what would happen if such gifts
were directed to his spouse, he said it was impossible for politicians
to reach his spouse.
Agbaje said, “My spouse is not here with
me and I don’t see anyone trying to reach her with gifts. That is even
not possible, I will not allow that.”
The Kano State REC, Alhaji Mukaila
Abdullahi, said he would be guided by the law of the land which forbids
collecting and giving of gifts in a period like this.
He said, ‘’I think it is clear that the
law of the land governing the public office do not allow acceptance of
any form of gift and as much as possible, I am glad to say that INEC is
aware of the need to be independent.”
According to him, acceptance of a gift is a bribe.
Abdullahi said, ‘’I have repeatedly said
that as much as possible, we relate with everybody, all the
politicians, as well as with all the political parties, we accord them
equal opportunities and access to information and if there is any reason
whatsoever for somebody to tip you with a gift, it must be rejected in
all ramifications.’’
The Niger State REC, Nasir Olarewaju Ayilara, told Saturday PUNCH
in Minna that: “RECs should not base their work on whatever anybody is
bringing to them. We must carry out our duties with no fear of
contradiction or molestation of any kind as far as elections are
concerned.
“It is wrong to collect gifts from
politicians; it is not normal but what is very clear is that there is no
way a REC can perform his job without having to deal with the state
government. So, the office cannot be an island, but one should be
mindful of the relationship between the government and the INEC.”
On the possibility of offering gifts to
the spouses of RECs, Ayilara said, “Politicians are ready to do anything
to get what they want, but it depends on the training and culture of
the family. If the house is properly cultured they will not get you
through your wife.”
In Ogun State, REC Timothy Ibitoye said no politician had offered him any gift since he was posted to the state late last year.
He said the only politician who had come
to his office was the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who came
to complain about the slow pace of delivery of Permanent Voter Cards in
the state.
Ibitoye explained that he did not require any gift from any politician because he is a contented person.
The Delta State REC, Mr. Anidi Ikowak,
said INEC officials who compromised their positions during the electoral
process would be dismissed.
Ikowak told Saturday PUNCH that
INEC had taken into consideration the fact that as human beings, some
electoral officers could compromise their positions with candidates and
other stakeholders during the electoral process and had devised means of
dealing with such situations.
Ikowak, who said he was not aware of
anyone who had tried to compromise him or his workers, said, “There are
laws in the country that INEC would not have to manufacture new laws to
take care of persons that compromise and collect gifts or other items.
“Everybody has been warned so that you
don’t compromise your position or work. Our staff and those we recruit
as adhoc staff have been told to be neutral as referees in the course of
the elections.
“And INEC itself knowing that we are
dealing with human beings has been trying to bring in innovations that
would keep staff from doing certain things.”
He said that staff of the commission had
the right to report people that attempt to bribe them using hard
evidence to the security agencies.
