A Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom, Mike Igini, says his predecessors in the south-south state simply allocated election figures to candidates, as opposed to actually counting votes from polling units.

Igini made the allegation on a ChannelsTV breakfast program on Tuesday, January 28, 2020.

He stressed that he has sufficient evidence to back up his claims, especially as it relates to the 2015 and 2019 general elections.

“In that same 2015 in Akwa Ibom, they ‘allocated’ five percent (of votes) to the current President,” Igini blared.

Reminded of the need to choose his words carefully, Igini insisted: “Yes, allocated! Because in Akwa Ibom they don’t do elections, 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 is Akwa Ibom’s REC (Guardian)

Old things passing away

He also assured Akwa-Ibomites that the days of not conducting elections in the state are over and promised that the electoral system in the state would witness a major turnaround.

The INEC official revealed that he has informed stakeholders in the state after he assumed office, that it would no longer be business as usual.

“Noah told the children of God that there will be a great flood, but they didn’t take that seriously. I told them that under my watch in Akwa Ibom State, it is the will of the people that will govern,” Igini said.

Igini has a reputation for being blunt and outspoken. He’s also courted controversy in the course of his work.