Rivers Re-run: INEC redeploys personnel from Port Harcourt

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said it was redeploying personnel in Port Harcourt as aftermath of the Dec. 10, 2016, legislative re-run polls in Rivers.

Specifically, the commission said that all administrative staff, heads of department and other directing staff in the Port Harcourt office would be deployed to other states.

A National Commissioner in the commission, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, made this known in Abuja while updating newsmen on the commission’s Administrative Panel report on the re-run elections.

The commission’s panel’s report and another by the Police Investigative Panel indicted 29 personnel and 23 officials of INEC, respectively.

Agbamuche-Mbu said that the case of the 29 officials indicted by the commission’s panel and recommended for disciplinary action was currently being investigated further by a disciplinary committee.

“We informed you earlier that the Commission’s office in Rivers will be overhauled.

“In doing so, all the directing staff – administrative staff, heads of department, deputy directors and assistant directors and 23 electoral officers who head local government offices – are being redeployed out of Rivers immediately,’’ Agbamuche-Mbu said.

She added that INEC would at its next meeting consider the final report of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 202 of its staff accused of certain infractions.

“You may recall that last year, INEC received a report from the EFCC in which some of our staff members were accused of certain infractions. A total of 202 INEC officials from 14 states were mentioned in the report.

“Based on the EFCC interim report, the commission subsequently queried and invited them to appear before an administrative panel.

“The final report of the investigation into the matter will be considered by the commission at its meeting next week,’’ she said, adding that decision would be taken on the matter at the meeting.