failure Congress of all progressives (APC) has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding the removal of Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini.
Blessing Agbomhere, APC South-South Zonal Organization Secretary, signed the petition addressed to INEC President Mahmood Yakubu.
The petition, dated July 7, called for Igini’s dismissal within 48 hours.
The APC in Akwa-Ibom has been in crisis for a while. There has been a power struggle between a former party national secretary, John Akpanudoedehe, and Godswill Akpabio, a former state governor.
The struggle for control of the party has created factions within the party and also parallel primaries. In Akwa-Ibom Northwest, Udom Ekpoudom and Mr. Akpabio emerged as senatorial candidates. However, the INEC recognized the election that produced the first.
Akpanudoedehe has since defected to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). Despite his desertion, the crisis in the state persists.
Mike Igini (Photo: TV Channels)
Mr. Igini in an interview with Arise TV, which was published by PREMIUM TIMES, said that the APC in the state did not comply with the existing laws. He noted that one faction used falsified documents to acquire “fraudulent judgments.”
The petition
In the letter, APC accused Mr. Igini of “relentless acts of bias, injustice, sabotage and malevolence committed against the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State”.
According to Mr. Agbomhere, Mr. Igini over the years since his deployment sabotaged and obviously worked against the APC in the state.
He added that Mr. Igini has been a partisan and a supporter of a political party despite the provision of the law that, by virtue of his position and membership of the INEC, he is supposed to be an impartial, incorruptible and impartial arbiter in any electoral process. .
Mr. Agbomhere emphasized that a violation of the provision of Section 26 of the Elections Act 2022 is not without consequences and the same are properly captured in Section 120 of the Act.
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He added that the party will be ready to approach the Office of the Code of Codes and the Federal High Court to force the Commission to fire Mr. Igini.
“From the above facts that we have just made available to you, Mr. President, it cannot be denied that Mr. Mike Igini, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state of Akwa Ibom, has been compromised, has shown partisanship and, Unfortunately, he has abused his position as an INEC official, for which we offer him the following prayers;
“That Mr. Mike Igini is not in a position to remain as Resident Electoral Commissioner of the INEC State. This is because a free and fair election begins with a free and fair process. Therefore, Mr. Igini has compromised, therefore he lacks the ability to conduct or oversee any election in the state.
“That Mr. Mike Igini be handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution for violation of Section 26 of the Elections Act 2022.
“Let me remind you, Mr. President, that the integrity of the Commission is very much at stake here, as this issue has generated not only statewide protests but also nationwide concerns from members of our party and the general public. Akwa Ibomites and Nigerians.
“We believe that Mike Igini is not the only INEC REC in Nigeria, therefore his position should not discredit the Commission in any way nor should it be used as an oppressive tool against the All Progressives Congress or any other political party.
“Finally, Mr. President, we will be more than willing to approach the Code of Conduct Court against Mr. Mike Igini and also approach the Federal High Court for an Order of Mandamus to bind the Commission in any case where our prayers and demands are not fulfilled within the appointed time.”
To further justify why Mr. Igini should be fired, Mr. Agbomhere said: “In 2019, Mr. Mike Igini acted in a serious violation of Election Law by sabotaging the senatorial election of His Excellency Senator Godswill. Obot Akpabio. He did, by maliciously overseeing the cancellation of the Distinguished Senator’s votes, all in his attempt to ensure his loss of the election.
“In addition, he went ahead to ensure that the election results were mutilated and not announced at the INEC headquarters in Akwa Ibom Northwest Senatorial District, which is at odds with the provision of Section 25 (2) (and ) of the Electoral Law”. Law of 2022 that provides that the results of the senatorial elections will be announced in the collation center of the Senate District. All of this led to the loss of Senator Godswill Akpabio and the malicious enterprise of Mr. Mike Igini and the unjustifiable attack on our successful party.
“After the overwhelming victory of the Hon. Nse Ntuen, who emerged as the winner of the Essien Udim State Assembly Elections, Mr. Mike Igini, in his usual act of disgust for our party in the state, blatantly refused to issue him a return certificate as INEC REC of the state.
“We resorted to seeking legal redress and the court, having seen the merits of our claims, granted us an order directing the INEC to issue a return certificate to Hon. Nse Ntuen. He will be interested and surprised to learn that this court order was grossly disobeyed and arrogantly thrown out of the INEC windows by Mr. Mike Igini, all because the Hon. Nse Ntuen was a member of the APC.”
The APC leader added that the party has been subjected to injustice and ill will since Mr. Igini’s deployment to Akwa Ibom state.