Yobe Gov scandal: Tribunal Admits EFCC Report On N15m Bribe Allegation As Evidence

Halima Ogiri, Per Second News--Abuja - The Yobe State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has admitted the report of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on alleged bribery against the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the April 11, governorship poll in the state as evidence.





A The tribunal had last week Thursday admitted the testimonies of two witnesses, who testified on how N15 million was allegedly paid into the account of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Yobe State shortly before the April 11 governorship election in the state.

Two senior personnel of two new generation banks had testified before the tribunal last Thursday the lodgement of N8million and N7million into the accounts on April 8, 2015, but a former Attorney-General of the state, Barrister Ahmad Goniri, said that the "report of the commission cannot stand the test of time."

A witness, Odofin Adekule, an official of EFCC, who testified before the tribunal on Wednesday presented the report of the anti-corruption agency investigation on the alleged bribery of the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the state during the April 11 governorship election in the state.

While giving evidence before the tribunal, Adekunle said in the course of the EFCC investigation, it was discovered that some persons attempted to induce the state REC to favour a particular candidate in the April 11 governorship election in the state.

In the petition before the tribunal filed by Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, the tribunal was urged to nullify the election of Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State on account of irregularities and corruption saying that some persons attempted to bribe the state REC before the election.

Last week, the tribunal summoned the Secretary of the commission to appear before it with the report of its investigation on the allegation.


When the report was to be presented before the tribunal on Wednesday, counsel to Governor Geidam, Mr. Ayo Olanrewaju, who held brief for Yusuf Ali SAN, objected to the tendering of the document by the Secretary of the EFCC on the ground that he was not the officer who conducted the investigation of the report.

The Secretary of the commission hinted the court that the officer who conducted the investigation was also in court. In that wise, Odofin, who conducted the investigation and wrote the report was later called upon to give evidence on the report.

Titus Ashaolu, SAN, counsel to the ADC to Governor Geidam, who was also joined as respondent in the matter told the witness that the report he brought before the tribunal was incomplete because it did not pass through the normal procedure.

He therefore described the report as inconclusive saying that it is the legal department of the EFCC that should have the final decision indicated in the report.