By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Months after 2023 gubernatorial election, staffs of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Kaduna state have written a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging that Dollars given to them through the Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mohammed Awwal Mashi, were not delivered to some of them.
The Acting Resident Commissioner’s administration now in Niger State on posting, is also being accused of corruption, sexual harassment, staff welfare deductions, promotion arrears disparities, among other impunity.
INEC staffs, in a petition obtained by journalists, alleged that $100 was given to each staff of the Commission prior to the gubernatorial elections in Kaduna state by APC through the/resident commissioner/administrative Secretary, but only few of them were given their share of the dollars.
The ruling APC, according to the petition allegedly gave all the 61 staffs the sum of $100 Dollars each through the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mohammed Awwal Mashi, but only ICT staffs were given their own share of the money, while the rest of the staffs were denied.
Although names of APC official that gave the money was not disclosed, petitioners explained that “Some days after the 2023 presidential elections, the ruling party gave all staff of the state $100 Dollars each but, only ICT staff were giving the money, and denied the rest of the staff.
The petition with reference number: EFCC/PET/HQR/5180/2023; entitled: “Petition to investigate Mohammed Awwal Mashi was submitted to the EFCC by the 2020 INEC Kaduna state promoted staff.
The petition, received by the EFCC on the 15th August, 2023 at exactly 12:32pm, as contained in the acknowledgement letter of document obtained by our correspondent, alleged that at the time of presidential election, Mashi was already an ex-convict in Australian prison after serving 7 years’ incarceration for drug related offences.
The petitioners stated further that “Mashi led Administrations were characterised with accusations of corruption, sexual harassment, staff welfare deductions, impunity among others.
“The acting REC/Administrative Secretary” Mohammed Awwal Mashi” is a friend and a University Course Mate to ” Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and also a close friend and ally of “Bashir Wase”, the Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the Commission,” the petition stated.
When contacted on phone, Mashi who refused to respond formally or makes further, however denied all allegations leveled against him by the staffs, pleaded to get back personally but never did until time of going to press.
But in a detail reports posted to our correspondent by Mashi through WhatsApp, Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC national chairman Mahmood Yakubu, denied almost all the financial allegations leveled against Mashi.
The media officer to the national chairman, however did not anything about the allegation dollars given the staffs by the ruling APC and sexual harassment of staff under REC Mashi administration in Kaduna state.
