APC Decries Akwa Ibom INEC REC Mike Igini's Unending Partisanship

ALL  PROGRESIVE   CONGRESS, APC

149, Ikot Ekpene Road , Uyo

Akwa  Ibom  State. 

PRESS STATEMENT

What are the forces controlling Mike Igini ?

Whoever had any iota of doubt about the weak character, bad conduct and poor judgement of Michael Igini, the INEC REC in Akwa Ibom State, only needs to read his latest outburst against the APC to clear such reservations. 

Mr. Igini addressed a press conference in his office last Friday, and claimed that the APC candidates in the last general elections are challenging the results of the elections at the Tribunals because they want to ‘make noise, attract sympathy and look for appointments from President Buhari’. 

Even those that had benefitted from Mike Igini’s electoral scam have been embarrassed by this reckless, partisan, insulting and gratuitous statement.

 There is no other REC, among the 37 of them in the country – and we know that there are election cases in almost every state of the federation - that is so petty, mean-spirited and overtly biased against any political party as Igini is.

The Holy Book tells us that from the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks.  Mr Igini can no longer conceal his partiality for the PDP and bias against the APC. His cup will run over, sooner or later.

We invite Nigerians to note the following sequence of events, just to try to understand the working of Igini’s complex and compromised personae. 

The Akwa Ibom Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had on Monday 15 April ordered INEC to allow the APC legal team access to materials used for the election for the purpose of inspection. INEC flouted this order. Then on Monday, 29 April – two weeks after the Order was issued, Chief Victor Iyanam, the lead counsel to Nsima Ekere, APC governorship candidate who is challenging the governorship election, announced that his team had not been allowed to inspect the materials as ordered by the Tribunal. 

On Thur, 2 May, the Tribunal warned INEC against flouting its Orders and noted that the commission risks a N2 million fine as enshrined in Section 77 of the Electoral Act. Apparently stung and embarrassed by the warning from the Tribunal, Igini hurriedly called a press conference the following day and launched his diatribes. What are the justifications for these insults? What are the forces controlling this REC?

In our response to this unprovoked, unjustified and overtly partisan harangue, we wish to make the following categorical statements:

1.     We have long established that Mike Igini was well compromised and induced by the PDP to conduct the last elections in its favour. We have substantiated evidence to prove that Igini and his Ad Hoc staff colluded with PDP to execute one of the most extensive electoral frauds in history of Akwa Ibom. We shall present our evidence in court.

2.     We believe that Mike Igini would rather wish we do not challenge the elections in court. He would actually prefer to retire quietly to enjoy his filthy lucre in comfort.

3.     Mike Igini’s unguarded statement, in a way, is an insult to President Muhammadu Buhari. It is not within the purview of a corrupt electoral official to tell the President how to make his appointments.

4. Damaged and morally bankrupt, Igini will go down in history a REC who sold his soul to the devil for the love of money.

 We wish to assure him that public officials of his kind have no place in a new Nigeria being moulded by President Buhari. The National Chairman of INEC that has built a warm nest of protection around Mike Igini should be very ashamed of this his godson.

Besides, the entire world is anxiously waiting to know what happens to the certificate of returns of House Assembly Election in Essien Udim State Constituency conducted by Michael Igini in the elections he claimed to be free and fair.

Signed

Nkereuwem Enyongekere

Publicity Secretary

APC Akwa Ibom

4 May 2019

Course Of Study On Photo-journalism Underway –Pixels

After being certificated by the Oyo State Board for Technical and Vocational Education (BOTAVED) to run it photography school, one of the respected digital photography outfits in Nigeria, Pixels Digital has unveiled plan to include a course of study for Sports photo

Journalism.

In her explanation on the need to add Sports photo Journalism course to the school curriculum, the Chief Executive Officer of the outfit, Omolaraeni Olaosebikan said “photography has long becomes an integral part of any sporting activities, which made pictures an essential component of a sports’ meet and Pixels has a lot to contribute into the proficiency of this vocation”.

She added that their management has entered into discussion with the department of Communication and Language Arts of the University of Ibadan with a view to collaborate and work out course outline for Sports Photo journalist that would be run at the newly government approved Pixels International Photo Academy Ibadan.

Olaosebikan who explained this while speaking with newsmen at its Bodija head office in Ibadan, where she described Pixels International Academy as an arts school designed to enable people develop

professional confidence, technical proficiency, explore and define their own divergent creative vision.

“This announcement by the government’s agency came at a time the company is putting measures in place to celebrate its 16 years of building global standard creative capacity for young people and contributing to the socio economic development of Nigeria through technical and vocational training.

She stated further that the academy is laced with goal of helping the populace to discover career in photography, adding that Pixels has always been involved in many major sporting events in the city of Ibadan.

“Over the years we have been partnering with Splash FM and Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports, the organizer of the annual Ibadan City Marathon, we gave this year’s edition a good coverage by flying drones to capture the aerial view of the distance runners.

“We are also one of the sponsors of 2019 Ibadan Golf Club’s Lady Open, where we captured great golfing actions. We believe the program would be of great benefits to many sports’ journalist that aspired to widen their knowledge in digital photography world”, Pixels CEO noted.

APC Youths Berate Akwa Ibom INEC REC Over Comments on Election Petitioners

Akwa Ibom chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC National Youth Caucus has frowned at the state's INEC REC, Mike Igini's statements on the candidates at election Tribunal, in which he was quoted to have said that APC candidates are at the Tribunal to make noise as strategy to get appointments.

"We are indeed dismayed by this kind of a partisan and scandalous outburst by a supposed unbiased and non partisan electoral umpire. It has never happened before. 

Even PDP official spokesmen are more refined, guarded and cautious in their public statements. 

An INEC REC is now the chief propagandist of the PDP, castigating, blackmailing APC candidates for going to the tribunal to challenge the outcome of the fraudulent election conducted by him and his accomplices.

What's his business if APC candidates are going to the tribunal or not?.

Surely, he had vested interest in the election and he is all out to protect it. But he'llfail this time. 

With this unguarded statement by the Akwa Ibom INEC REC, no further proof is needed ded to show that he was and still remains part of the PDP rigging template in the last election. And evidently, he is acting PDP scripts.

He is becoming so desperate and we wish to urge the National Chairman of the INEC and other authorities to call him to order.

Just a matter of time, the evils he perpetrated against the APC in the state would be exposed and justice would be done," the youths stated in a statement signed by the state Chairman, Obong Iniobong John.