Ekere, Akpabio, Etiebet blame INEC for ‘orchestrated loss’ in A’Ibom

Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom, Obong Nsima Ekere, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Chief Don Etiebet have blamed the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahood Yakubu for the party’s loss in the state.

According to the trio, Mahmoud refused to act promptly to redeploy the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini from Akwa Ibom as is the practice since 1999.

Ekere, in a press briefing in his Uyo residence at Ewet Housing estate, said Igini had from the outset shown through his utterances and actions he was determined to frustrate the APC from winning elections in the state.

He said: ”Now, interestingly months before the elections, the APC family in Akwa Ibom state had expressed a lot of reservations about the character of Mr. Mike Igini.

”We had told the entire country and the world that Mr. Igini had shown the world that he was far from neutral in the way he was preparing for the elections and his utterances amongst his staff during training sessions and the things he said showed clearly that the man had a mindset that he had sworn severally that under his watch, the APC cannot win elections in Akwa Ibom state.

”All we wanted was for INEC to allow Akwa Ibom people decide for themselves who they wanted.

“It was not for INEC and the resident electoral commissioner to come and decide for Akwa Ibom people which political party must win and which one must not win under his watch.

”He is supposed to be a neutral umpire. His (Igini) conduct and the things he has done both in the presidential and national assembly elections and the gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections have confirmed our fears.

”What we find so difficult to understand is why it was difficult for the INEC chairman and other authorities that be to listen to our pleas to change Mike Igini as the REC in Akwa Ibom.”

Ekere further said: ”From 1999 when elections started again in this country, every election year, the REC and other staff of the INEC who have been resident in a state for a period of time were always moved around.

”That way you are sure they will not allow their alliances and their friendships they have developed in the state within that period they have stayed to influence their conduct.

”Surprisingly INEC refused to do this. And this is the first time this is happening. They allowed Mr. Igini to frustrate the wishes of Akwa Ibom people. This is most unfortunate,” he said.

Akpabio also attributed APC’s failure in the state to Igini, saying he found it hard to understand why his local government, Essien Udim, with voting strength of 105,000 was allotted just a bit above 6,000 votes.

He said the recent elections in the state were massively rigged by the PDP in connivance with the INEC headed by Igini.

Etiebet, on his part, vowed the APC will do everything legally permissible to reclaim its victory, insisting that the party won in 26 local government areas of the state.

He accused the INEC of changing the results announced at various polling units which the APC a clear lead above the PDP.