Thousands of protesters converged on the Akwa Ibom State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, demanding for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini.
Carrying placards bearing inscriptions like; “vote of no confidence on Mike Igini; Igini directs NYSC members openly to support PDP candidates; Igini is compromised; Igini must go; Igini is a PDP member, among other write-ups, the protesters accused the REC of working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Straighnews had reported that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state accused INEC of taking sides with the PDP.
The state chairman of the party, Mr. Ini Okopido, shortly after a peace accord signing ceremony organised by INEC in Uyo on Friday, February 7, 2019, had accused the commission of turning the event into a state government programme, charging the election umpire to be impartial in its conducts.
“I was present inside the hall and I saw clearly that the whole ceremony was turned into a state government event. The Master of Ceremony was Mr. Raphael Edem, the governor’s special assistant on Public Affairs, and yet this was supposed to be an INEC event for all Governorship Candidates,” Okopido had said.
However, Mr Stephen Ntukekpo, APC youth leader, who led the protest, said that the party could no longer trust the REC to consuct a free, fair and credible elecrions due to his alleged romance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Ntukekpo vowed that the protesters would not vacate the premises of the commission until the commissioner is removed.
Speaking with this reporter on telephone, Mr. Don Etukudoh, Public Affairs Officer of the commission in the state, who confirmed the event, said that he was indisposed to speak on the matter at the time.
Further efforts to speak with the REC, Igini, proved abortive as his telephone line did not go through.
