Barrister Mike Igini
INEC plans big for retiring REC Igini
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has outlined big plans for its retiring Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Barrister Mike Igini.
INEC has already slated a farewell ceremony for its ongoing REC, Barrister Igini.
In a statement by the state’s INEC Admin Secretary, Emmanuel Ogbodu, the event would hold on August 12 (10am), as the state’s electoral stakeholders are invited.
The farewell ceremony will be held at Ibom Hall, IBB Avenue, Uyo area of Akwa Ibom State.
The tough and outspoken REC would be remembered for ensuring that nobody successfully rigged election under his watch.
Igini, who was a former union leader during his university days, had revealed that INEC has developed robust tracking systems to monitor elections.
Last year, while reacting to the judgment by the Akwa Ibom State High Court 2, sitting in Ikot Ekpene that found Professor Peter Ogban guilty of electoral offence and sentenced him to three years imprisonment, Igini said the legitimacy of electoral process can only be safeguarded if offenders were punished.
Recall that the INEC in Akwa lbom State had taken Prof. Ogban, who is a lecturer in University of Calabar to court on a two-count charge of tampering with results of the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District in favour of the All Progressives Congress, APC, during the 2019 general elections.
“The legitimacy of electoral process can only be safeguarded if offenders are punished. l should say that those who desire or crave the honour of a king should not break the law of the land, otherwise they will forfeit public respect.
“So, l agree with you that what happened today is a watershed development that will help to restore and reinforce public confidence in the integrity of the electoral process under the leadership Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and his commitment to a sane electoral environment where attitudes are shaped and confidence established that the ballot remains the best means of expression of the will of the people as to who can assume the position of authority to exercise power in a democracy.
“You cannot rig election successfully under my watch with my team either through the use of violence or compromise of permanent staff or Adhoc election result collation and Returning officers like this professor that had just been convicted by the court.
“We have developed robust tracking systems of monitoring election day process with early warning triggers in our electoral operation support system, fully implemented here in Akwa Ibom during the 2019 election that captured some of these serious,” Igini had said.
Nigerians have continued to hail Igini for always ensuring that the right thing was done during and after elections even at the risk of his life.
Under his tenure, three staff of INEC in Akwa Ibom state, were arraigned and convicted in court over charges of compromising the electoral process during the 2019 General Elections. They have since been sacked from the commission.
