Top shots and other staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been jolted as the commission has launched an audit investigations into its operations, covering both finances and general administration activities.
Daily Sun learnt that the last may not have been heard about the exit of former Chairman of the commission, Professor Maurice Iwu, and some of the ex-national commissioners as the probe are expected to cover their days in office.
Staffers of the commission, especially the senior staff who played key roles during the administration of Professor Iwu, were said to have been jolted by the development and have commenced making frantic efforts to put their reports together and ensure compliance.
The commission has had to contend with paucity of funds of recent as payments for services rendered by some contractors were allegedly on hold due to the development, while other activities of the commission, especially those carried out at the tail-end of the tenure of the former Chairman.
A memo dated October 12, from the office of the Director of Internal Audit indicated that the audit would cover between January and July, 2010. The former Chairman left office in May. Certain actions taken by Iwu and his national commissioners have come under investigations. One of such was the recruitment of staff for the commission, concluded before his removal but which was reversed by the new management led by Professor Attahiru Jega, over allegation that the process lacked due process.
According to the audit memo, the investigations would cover the commission’s finances by taking stock of the status of financial records, files, documents, assets and liabilities from January to June, 2010. Interestingly, the audit will cover Jega’s one month in office, having resumed in June. The memo read: “This is to inform you that the Director of Internal Audit of the commission will be embarking on its yearly (January-July) internal audit of accounts and other operational activities of the commission in accordance with the financial regulations 2001 and 2003.
“Please, kindly accord the internal auditors your maximum cooperation, by availing them with all the necessary information and documents required to facilitate their work.” INEC’s Director of Public Affairs, Emmanuel Umenger, denied knowledge of the memo saying he just returned from a trip outside Abuja and would need time to crosscheck. “I have been away. I have not been around. You know it’s an administrative thing and I would need to confirm when we resume on Monday,” he stated.
In his own comment, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Kayode Idowu, said the only person from whom he could confirm from was the Director of Finance and Administration whose telephone had been inaccessible.
He promised to get back to our correspondent but never did till press time.
Source:http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/newsonthehour/2010/nov/15/newsbreak-15-11-2010-001.htm
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