Accuses REC of insubordination
Igini threatens N1bn libel suit against APC chieftain
BY MAYOWA SAMUEL
The ruling All Progressives Congress has reported the Independent National Electoral Commission to the Federal Government.
It called on the central government to wade into the alleged crisis the recognition given by the electoral body to a faction it described as illegal and pointed out the implications for the polity.
The party averred that the INEC in Akwa Ibom State is supporting an illegal faction not recognized by the courts of law.
In a letter addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, dated July 1, 2022 and titled “Re: Petition against Mr. Mike Igini (Resident Electoral Commissioner) for willful disobedience of valid orders of the court by according unlawful recognition to an illegal group in APC Akwa-Ibom State,” to which the petition was attached, the party reported what it called the “contemptuous conduct and activities perpetrated against our party by Mr, Mike Igini, (Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State” to the attention of the Federal Government.
Signed by APC National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, the party begged the Federal Government to convey its concern to the INEC Chairman, Yakubu Mahmood.
It reads, “We wish to bring to your attention the contemptuous conduct and activities perpetuated against our Party by Mr. Mike Igini, (Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa-Ibom State), which have been highlighted in the petition attached herewith in relation to the above subject.
“We hereby forward the petition to your good office and respectfully request for your intervention by conveying the concerns of the party contained in our petition to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the relevant security agencies.
“We are grateful in anticipation of your kind consideration and necessary action with regards to this subject.”
Igini had accused APC of forging the letters that led to the swearing-in of Stephen Ntukekpo as the state party chairman against a court judgement, insisting that the electoral body will instead recognise Austin Ekanem as the authentic state chairman of the party.
Calls for Igini’s removal have intensified in recent weeks over his alleged partisanship regarding the party’s recent controversial primaries in the state, especially the senatorial primary in which the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and presidential aspirant, Godswill Akpabio, was involved.
Igini had stated on national television that the APC will not have any candidate for the 2023 elections in the state.
Attempts by The Point to get Igini to comment on the petition were unsuccessful as his phone was switched off while he was yet to respond to a text message seeking comment at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, Igini had in a statement filed by his lawyers threatened to institute a N1 billion suit against APC chieftain, Blessing Agbomhere for alleging in a television interview on June 29 that he was not only working for the People’s Democratic Party but was equally acting as a ceremonial consultant to Governor Udom Emmanuel.
Igini gave Agbomhere a deadline of 48 hours to retract the defamatory statements and tender to him an apology in four major television stations and five prominent newspapers in the country.
