Lukman Olabiyi
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Senator Victor Umeh, has defended the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, over accusations made against him of plotting to rig the September 19 governorship election in Edo State.
Rtd. Col David Imuse, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State,
had in a recent press conference, accused Igini and Governor Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of planning to rig coming Saturday’s election.
But Umeh, who was member of the 8th Senate, in a statement yesterday, described Igini as a soldier of credible elections in Nigeria, a quality he said, earned him his appointment as a REC by former President Goodluck Jonathan and a reappointment by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said, “Before being appointed a Resident Electoral Commissioner in 2010 by President Goodluck Jonathan, Igini had been a thorn in the flesh of INEC over the controversial elections in Nigeria at the time both on televisions and newspapers. That, I am sure informed his appointment by President Jonathan.
Joining INEC, Igini became a spartan and lived up to expectation. He became a relentless officer in the fight for credible elections and against electoral Vices. He was always deployed by the Commission to all troubled election spots that required strength of character to deliver clean elections. Following his acknowledged good deeds and high integrity, President Mohammad Buhari appointed Igini for a second term as REC.”
Umeh described imuse as “very dangerous to our democracy”, noting that he has done both the army and the country a great disservice and therefore, should quit politics and go for rehabilitation at the Nigerian Army Resettlement Centre at Oshodi.
“Politics in Nigeria has become a business of all and sundry. It is regrettable that David Imuse feigned ignorance of the person of Mike Igini who has consistently been an advocate of credible elections in Nigeria, both as an activist and as a Resident Electoral Commissioner. It is very unfortunate that Col David Imuse upon retiring from the Army jumped into Politics without historical knowledge of some individuals who have done so much to put our Electoral Process in the right pedestal.