‘He made Akpabio lose ticket’ — APC zonal secretary asks INEC to sack Akwa Ibom REC

Blessing Agbomhere, south-south zonal secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to sack Mike Igini, resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom.

In a petition dated July 7 and addressed to Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, Agbomhere said Igini acted contrary to the electoral act and caused Godswill Akpabio, former Niger Delta affairs minister, lose the APC senatorial ticket.

Akpabio initially sought the party’s presidential ticket but withdrew and supported Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos.

Before the presidential primary, on May 27, Udom Ekpoudom, a former deputy inspector-general of police (DIG), had won a primary organised by the APC for the Akwa Ibom north-west senatorial ticket.

However, a parallel primary was also conducted which was won by Ekperikpe Ekpo, but which was said to have been later cancelled over irregularities, while a rerun was conducted on June 8, with Akpabio declared as winner of the exercise.

But Igini had said INEC officials did not monitor the June 8 primary.

In the petition, Agbomhere said Igini should be sacked for going outside the electoral act.

“He further went ahead, to ensure that the results of the election were mutilated and not announced at the INEC headquarters in Akwa Ibom north-west senatorial district which is at variance with the provision of Section 25(2)(e) of the Electoral Act of 2022 which provides that the results of Senatorial elections shall be announced at the Senatorial District’s collation center,” the zonal secretary said.

“All of these led to the loss of Sen. Godswill Akpabio and Mr. Mike Igini’s malicious enterprise and unjustifiable onslaught against our party.

“From the foregoing facts we have just made available to you, Mr. Chairman, there will be no gainsaying that Mr. Mike Igini, the INEC REC for Akwa Ibom State, has been compromised, shown partisanship and regrettably so, abused his office as an INEC official hence we make the following prayers to you;

“That Mr. Mike Igini is not fit and proper to remain as the INEC REC of the State. This is because a free and fair election begins with a free and fair process. Hence Mr. Igini has compromised, he therefore lacks the capacity to conduct or supervise any election in the state.

“That, Mr. Mike Igini be sacked and dismissed within 48 hours from the time of receipt of this petition.”