The Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, has accused the political leadership of the state of not allowing the conduct of elections in the state.
Rather, Igini said what they do in the state is to allocate results to candidates.
The REC said this on Tuesday in an interview on a Channels TV programme, Sunrise Daily.
He said he has evidence to support his claims, especially as it relates to the 2015 and 2019 general elections.
He alleged that in 2015, the state, controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party, allocated five per cent of the votes cast to the then candidate of the All Progressives Congress and incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari.
He said: “In that same 2015 in Akwa Ibom, they ‘allocated’ five per cent (of votes) to the current President.”
When told to be mindful of his choice of words, Igini insisted: “Yes, allocated!
“Because in Akwa Ibom they don’t do election.
“They write results.
“I have the records.
“You go there.
“Because when I arrived in Akwa Ibom State, leaders – traditional rulers, religious leaders – all groups came to me, but that is not new to me.
“I was the Commissioner in neighbouring Cross River State.”
Igini said the days of not conducting elections were over in Akwa Ibom State.
He promised that the electoral system would witness a major turnaround.
He said: “I told them that under my watch in Akwa Ibom State, it is the will of the people that will govern.”
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