Forty-four political parties in Akwa Ibom under the aegis of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have passed a vote of confidence on the Independent National Electoral (INEC) resident electoral commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini.
They said that Igini had remained firm despite monetary inducements and pressure from certain quarters.
The group alleged that several attempts were made to move Igini against the will of the people during the presidential and National Assembly elections, but he “chose his integrity instead.”
In a press release signed yesterday by IPAC legal adviser, Mr. Mfon Peters, the group applauded what it described an “unbending noble character displayed by Igini in the face of intimidation and fat offers which played out in Ikot Ekpene.
“We have noticed that after the presidential and National Assembly elections in our state, the ‘Igini Must Go’ assemblage which had receded, had been rekindled. The reason is not farfetched.
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“We applaud the unbending noble character of Igini in the test offered by the scenario that played out at Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District elections.
“Despite monetary inducement, influence and power play, Igini was uncompromising. He insisted that only the valid votes cast at the polling units and collated by the designated officers will count. This did not go down well with some political gladiators who hitherto thought that what money cannot do, more money can do,” IPAC said.
The press was signed by 44 state chairmen of political parties, except the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
They alleged that those seeking the transfer of Igini had created spurious stories and blatant lies against the REC in a bid to discredit the just-concluded election which was adjudged by their party agents and international observers as credible and transparent.
They asked INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to discountenance the renewal of calls for the redeployment of Igini, stressing that they were ill-intentioned and in absolute bad faith.
