The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), has raised the alarm over plots by politicians in Akwa- Ibom State to write results of the forthcoming election in hotels, instead of soliciting votes from electorate .
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the state, Mike Igini, made the allegation yesterday at a public briefing to preview the forthcoming elections in the state.
Igini, one of the guest speakers at the briefing, said, “Akwa Ibom is one of the states where there have not been true elections in the past.”
The INEC official said, “I can confirm to you that politicians here want to write results in hotels, they are afraid of elections.”
The event is tagged “Stakeholders’ Briefing on Niger Delta Watch 2019”, was organised by Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) and held in collaboration with the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room.
Igini noted that” In 2011, all the bad people were moving from Rivers, Bayelsa, and other states to Akwa Ibom State during the elections.”
While saying that Nigeria has lost it as far as local government elections are concerned, the INEC commissioner vowed to conduct credible elections in Akwa Ibom State.
His words: “We have lost the local government areas. Of course, we know that elections don’t take place in local government areas. That is why you have the party in power at the states win local government elections 100 percent every time they conduct local government elections.
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“Local government elections in Nigeria are conducted by the state governments through their respective election commissions.
“Let me tell you, no election can be rigged without INEC colluding with politicians. I will ensure that free and fair elections take place in Akwa Ibom.
“No ballot paper or ballot box will be taken to a private home to write election results. There will be no state might, there will be no federal might in this state; it is only the people’s might that will prevail in this state.
“If you steal ballot box to go to a hotel to write election results, first you are like a man who has stolen the village drum. Where are you going to beat the drum?” he asked.
He further blamed the electorate for encouraging the practice by agreeing to sell their votes to corrupt politicians.
While asked whether he would cave in if he receives a counter instruction from “above”, Igini answered, “From the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is the highest public office in the country, they know me. I am only loyal to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I have conducted elections in other states, people know my antecedent.”
Present at the briefing was about 20 civil society organisations, and election observers from the 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom.
Other guest speakers were representatives of the police and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Akwa Ibom State.
