The Federal Government on Thursday will arraign 23 officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission accused of receiving N360m bribe from the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

The officials who would be arraigned before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt were said to have received bribe to compromise the December 10, 2016 rerun in the state.

Justice John Tsoho of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court had earlier granted the request of the defendants to have their trial transferred to the Port Harcourt division.

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Tsoho ruled that the prosecution was unable to provide any cogent evidence of insecurity in Port Harcourt to justify the filing of the charges in Abuja.

The office of the Attorney General of the Federation had on March 7, 2017 filed seven counts against the 23 defendants for allegedly receiving N360m bribe from Wike in connection with the December 10, 2016 rerun in Rivers State.

The accused persons are Shittu Mohammed Lamido (Shettima), Henry Owokure, Peter Ewetade, Mrs. Mary Jummai Tunkoyo Pennap, Gwatana Jibril, Ivase Stephen and Abdullahi Ogabo.

[Read Also: WIKE DID NOT BRIBE INEC OFFICIALS – RIVERS GOVT]

Also named are Gayus Hassan, Hussaini T. Yahaya, James Ogwuche, Karimu F. Aminu and Adedokun Najeem Ayotunde.

The list also included Balogun Funmilayo and Adams O. Kadiri, Akinwande R. Adesoji, Lukeman Olabimpe and Tiamiyu R. Arowolo.

Others are Akinwoye Amodu, Nwoha Yusuf, Patrick Anuke, Iro Abali, Nwosu G. Oluchi and Arukwe Chinelo.