The battle to unseat the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom has gone hotter as candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Nsima Ekere and Senator Godswill Akpabio, have reportedly paid over N5bn to remove the embattled Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in the state, Mike Igini, Igbere TV reports.

This is coming as the Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday, denied any plans to redeploy the commission’s REC before Saturday's Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

Igbere TV, however, gathered that plans are on top gear to send the REC packing before the eve of the election.

A source in the commission reliably informed Igbere TV on Tuesday that the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has been under pressure from the Federal Government to redeploy Igini from Akwa Ibom state.


Akpabio
The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Igbere TV that Yakubu may have already succumbed to the pressure.

It has also been alleged that the duo, Ekere and Akpabio offered $14m, which is about N5bn to the INEC chairman to perfect the move. It is, however, not clear if the chairman accepted the money or not.

“He (Yakubu) is working on the redeployment. The announcement will be out few days to the governorship election.

“People in the office (INEC HQ) are surprised, and worried at the same time why the chairman could give in to such pressure when he knows the consequences it could have on the commission’s image and on the remaining elections,” he said.

Igbere TV reports that the All Progressives Congress has been campaigning for Igini’s transfer from Akwa Ibom, weeks before the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom, won the Presidential and all National Assembly seats in the election.

The APC has been accusing Igini of being biased, in favour of the PDP in the state.

APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has repeatedly demanded Igini’s removal from office and restated his position at a meeting of the party attended by President Muhammadu Buhari last week.

Apart from Igini denying the accusation, the PDP in Akwa Ibom said the APC was frustrated with the commissioner because “he refused to help them rig the elections”.

Igini is generally regarded as a forthright and respectable public officer within and outside INEC.

Besides Igini, Igbere TV learnt that the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, was also under pressure to redeploy resident electoral commissioners in Rivers, Imo, Benue, and Plateau states.

The APC lost the presidential election in all the five states including Akwa Ibom. The ruling party’s dilemma in Imo is worse as its governor, Rochas Okorocha, is supporting a separate party for the governorship election and has been suspended by the APC.

Another source close to the INEC chairman lamented the pressure being mounted on him by the federal government.

“Some people in government, both at the state and federal levels, are mounting pressure on him to effect some changes and remove some RECs. The chairman has resisted.

“But the problem is that while he is a good man, he does not have the conviction of a Jega (ex-INEC chairman), he appears to be caving in.

“Some of us are worried that he may soon cave in and change some of these commissioners before this Saturday’s elections.

“We have advised him not to go ahead, but as you know, he has the final say when it comes to issues like this.

“The chairman is also careful not to be seen as doing the bidding of APC or any political party. If he goes ahead and remove these commissioners and some political parties don’t win elections, they will accuse the INEC chairman of taking sides.

“This is the development and I think Nigerians deserve to know. The polity is also charged and this planned removal will further divide us.

“After elections, Nigeria will still exist. This is why we are kicking against this development,” the source said.

Reacting to the allegations, however, the commission said there is no such plan to redeploy some state RECs.

“It’s not true. It is just speculation,” Rotimi Oyekanmi, the spokesperson to INEC chairman told Igbere TV.

“The INEC chairman has not told me of any pressure, and I don’t see any pressure on his face, except for the normal pressure of planning for the general elections as we all know, but not pressure from anybody to transfer anybody.

“There is no such plan to redeploy any of the RECs before the elections,” Oyekanmi said.

Collaborating Oyekanmi’s statement, the National Commissioner in charge of Information And Voters’ Education, Festus Okoye, said the commission is not aware of any redeployment plans.

He, however, said that INEC would investigate petitions filed against RECs by aggrieved candidates.

“We cannot remove any commissioner because a politician has said so. I am not aware that there are plans to change any RECs.

“But what I know is that such an issue will be discussed by the Commission. We are yet to have that discussion.

“Beside, it doesn’t make sense to change a state commissioner when he has already taken delivery of voting materials. Like I said earlier, my position is that, I am not aware,” Okoye said.

Court Stops INEC From Redeploying Akwa Ibom State REC

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused an application to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove Mr Mike Igini as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Akwa Ibom State.

Igbere TV reports that the claimant, Mr Stanley Okpara who filed the (ex parte) application through his counsel, C. F. Odiniru, had prayed the Court for an order directing the INEC, the first defendant in the suit, to remove Mr Mike Igini, the second defendant from his current station as INEC REC, Akwa Ibom State and redeploy him to another state.

Delivering his judgement, however, Justice O. A. Musa on February 28, refused the prayers of the applicant stating that such an order may disrupt INEC's plan to conduct a free, fair and credible elections in the concerned state.

The court held that: “Parties should maintain the status quo as of today, to this end, the 1st Defendant either by themselves or Chairman shall not take any step to either remove the 2nd Defendant as the REC as his current station pending the hearing of the motion on notice.”

The court consequently adjourned the matter to March 21, 2019 for the applicant to address it on jurisdiction.

It further ordered the applicant to ensure service of the processes on all parties in the suit.

44 Political Parties Pass Vote of Confidence on A’Ibom REC

No fewer than forty-four (44) registered political parties in Akwa Ibom State, have passed a vote of confidence on the embattled Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mr Mike Igini.

The political parties under the aegis of Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), Akwa Ibom State chapter, in a Press Statement made available to Igbere TV, disclosed that the uncompromising stance of the State REC in the just concluded election despite huge monetary inducement from a politician who brags that, “what money cannot do, more money can do”, has led to the resurgent of a fresh call for the transfer of Mr Igini.

“We have noticed that after the Presidential and National Assembly elections in our state, the 'Igini Must Go' assemblage which had receded has been rekindled. The reason is not far fetched.

“We applaud the unbending noble character of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, in the test offered by the scenario that played out at Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District elections.

“Despite monetary inducement, connections, influence and power play, Igini was uncompromising.

“He insisted that only the valid votes cast at the polling units and collated by the designated officers will count. This did not go down well with some political gladiators who hitherto thought that what money cannot do, more money can do,” a press statement signed by forty-four state’s Chairmen of the political parties (except the APC and PDP) read.

The statement further hinted that those seeking the transfer of Mr Igini have so far created spurious stories and blatant lies against the REC in a bid to discredit the just concluded election which was adjudged by their respective units agents and International Observers as credible and transparent.

They called on the National Chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, to discountenance the renewal of calls for the redeployment of Igini, stressing that the calls are ill-intentioned and in absolute bad faith.

“When they seek the redeployment of the REC, the question is, if he is not good enough to conduct elections here (in Akwa Ibom), which state will he be fit for?,” they asked rhetorically.

The political parties’ heads who stated unequivocally that, “if Igini is removed, the world would know that INEC has bowed to pressure and sold the (forthcoming) elections to the APC,” however, passed a vote of confidence on the Akwa Ibom REC for his transparency and credible manner he has conducted the affairs of the commission.

Meanwhile, apart from the party leaders, Igbere TV gathered that respectable members of the society are of the opinion that since the Urhobo (Delta State) born REC has demonstrated uncommon fidelity and integrity in the discharge of his duties, he should be supported by all to deliver another free, fair and transparent elections in Akwa Ibom on March 9.

http://igberetvnews.com/587501/breaking-aibom-2019-akpabio-ekere-get-super-desperate-pay-n5b-remove-rec/

CX: Lalasticlara

They will fail.

Why pay 5billion to relocate a REC when you can actually pay the REC the money? It is easy to detect fake news

MrAJQ:
Why pay 5billion to relocate a REC when you can actually pay the REC the money? It is easy to detect fake news

It's obvious u be not been following. Do you know how much been offered to buy the REC and he obviously refused to bend.

If he was ready to play ball, why Osinbajo, Oshiomhole, Akpabio running from pillar to post to have him removed?