Thursday 21st March, 2019
We want to place on record and bring to your attention the very obvious and noticeable attempt by the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Mike Igini, in collusion with agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Akwa Ibom State Government to perpetuate electoral fraud by destroying electoral materials needed to substantiate the election petitions of candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State.
We observe with deep regrets that since Mr. Mike Igini superintended over the worst general elections ever conducted in Akwa Ibom State, that was fraught with manifest irregularities and wide spread electoral infractions, the REC is now unveiling a grand scheme to thwart and create a chaotic environment to pave way for the pervasion of justice.
We have been reliably informed that the REC is now intimidating electoral officers who participated in the just concluded general elections in the State, particularly, Collation Officers, Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs), handing over their phone numbers to hired assassins and PDP killer squad to forcefully coerce them to concoct and fabricate false reports of violence, ballot paper snatching, all in a bid to justify the clandestine activities of Mr. Mike Igini days after the purported declaration of results, seeing that unit results will expressly show that candidates of the All Progressives Congress clearly won the elections by the votes directly delivered at the polling units across the state.
This latest action by the leadership of INEC in Akwa Ibom State has vindicated our stand expressed in various foras before the general elections that Mr. Mike Igini is a biased umpire, heavily compromised by the Akwa Ibom State Government to truncate the smooth conduct of a free and fair elections. We therefore reiterate in unambiguous terms, that INEC under Mr. Mike Igini cannot guarantee credibility and the ethos of fair play as demonstrated with this plot hatched to frustrate the electoral process.
Consequent to these, we hereby demand as follows:
1. The immediate relocation of the elections tribunal to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to forestall breakdown of law and order that this show of impunity might incite if not forestalled.
2. That we reiterate our call for the immediate redeployment of Mr. Mike Igini to pave way for a level-playing field for all parties that partook in the elections.
3. that any report that originates from any electoral officer in Akwa Ibom State remains an afterthought and should be completely disregarded forthwith.
4. That we call on security agencies to provide adequate security to all ad-hoc staffs of INEC in the state and properly investigate and bring to book, thugs paid by the PDP to intimidate or coerce non-yielding election officials.
5. We urge international agencies to pay particular interest to the continuing efforts of Mr. Mike Igini to perpetuate electoral fraud in Akwa Ibom State.
We have taken time to chronicle the unfolding complicity of Mr. Mike Igini in collaboration with the State Government and PDP to rob our party of our impending victory at the tribunal.
Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.
Obong Ini Okopido
APC State Chairman
cc:
HE The President
Federal Republic of Nigeria
The National Security Adviser
National Chairman
All Progressives Congress
The Chairman
Independent National Electoral Commission
The Inspector General of Police
DG, Department of State Security Service
DG, National Intelligence Agency