The gubernatorial candidate of the Young Democratic Party (YDP) in Akwa Ibom State, Arch. Otuekong Nya-Etok, has rejected alleged move by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to redeploy the state’s Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Mr. Mike Igini, from the state.
In a statement Nya-Etok release and made available to The Nigerian Xpress, he said that Igini had a national reputation for insisting on free, fair and credible elections.
The statement read, “Today (Tuesday) I attended a press briefing by the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) and other political bodies.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t privy to the content of the briefing before commencement; however, at the end when the content was read, I made several observations which I wish to highlight.
“I am in complete agreement that nobody should, under any guise, redeploy the INEC REC for Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Mike Igini, from the state for the following reasons: A. Akwa Ibom State has never, in my opinion, held credible elections. (b). The extreme division between the APC and the PDP is a perfect recipé for anarchy and mayhem except we are aware from the onset that the umpire for the elections would be free and fair to all.
“( c ). Mr. Igini has a national reputation for insisting on free, fair and credible elections. His position has brought a lot of comfort to the generality of Akwa Ibom voters or electorates.
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“ I wish to dissociate myself completely and entirely from certain allegations contained in the IPAC Press Briefing. These are, the generalisation of the APC as the party seeking the redeployment of Mr. Igini
“My position is occasioned by my knowledge of several well-meaning APC members that pray for free, fair and credible elections and are therefore happy to have Mr. Igini as the umpire for Akwa Ibom State.
“The bribery allegation: I have no knowledge of this allegation and will therefore completely dissociate myself from same. While not disputing, I will not be in a position to confirm and as such, wisdom demands that I dissociate myself from it.
“On a general note, I want to state expressly that my confidence to be a part of this process was occasioned by my respect for the impartiality, credibility and uprightness of Mr. Igini.
“Any effort to remove him would therefore a direct effort to disenfranchise the good people of Akwa Ibom State and I join all well-meaning Akwa Ibomites to appeal to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu not to bow to any pressures to redeploy Mr. Igini while urging our teeming supporters to continue to look forward to and have hope in free, fair and credible elections come Saturday 23rd of February, 2019 and Saturday 9th of March, 2019.”
