Sequel to the dismal performance of the ruling government in some states at the last concluded presidential and National Assembly election, the All Progressives Congress, [APC], backed by the federal government is reportedly mounting pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure removal of some Resident Electoral Commissioners dubbed ‘uncooperative’.
TheNewsGuru, TNG learnt that among the RECs marked for the purported redeployment by the ruling party include, Mr. Mike Igini of Akwa Ibom state; Halilu Pai of Plateau State; Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda of Benue State and Prof. Francis Ezeonu of Imo State.
According to a source who spoke to TNG on anonymity grounds, (TNG), said all the aforesaid electoral officers were perceived by the ruling government as a clog in the wheel of its plan ahead the governorship elections.
The source revealed that APC stalwarts are meeting with the federal government to see that the electoral body perfects the redeployment of RECs who are not yielding the demand of the party.
In Akwa Ibom, after INEC declared Mr Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom, winner of the election, against the incumbent senator, Godswill Akpabio – there have been lots of petitions written against the REC in the state.
According to the result announced by the returning officer, Peter Oban, a professor, Mr Akpabio scored 83,158 votes, while Mr Ekpenyong scored 118,215 votes.
Before the announcement of the election result, Mr Akpabio had petitioned INEC, alleging that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mike Igini, was “considering reversing the announced cancellation of result from Obot Akara”.
Mr Akpabio’s opponent, Mr Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is from Obot Akara.
Besides, Akwa Ibom State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, also issued statements, in which the party demanded the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, over alleged partisanship and other sundry offences ahead of the general polls.
In Imo, the drama that trailed the emergence of the incumbent governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha as the winner of the Imo West Senatorial District, has created a wide gap between the Okorocha and the state’s REC, Prof. Francis Ezeonu.
In fact, before reeling out figures at the district collation centre in the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) Office in Orlu, Mr Ibeabuchi, a professor, said he was being held “under duress” to announce the results.
Ibeabuchi said he was “detained at the centre for days” and reportedly prevented by Okorocha’s men from returning to Owerri on the command the state’s REC, Ezeonu.
Imo APC chapter, as a result of the several controversies that trailed the last election, doubted INEC structure in the state and are rooting for a change of its leadership.
Similarly, the All Progressives Congress has accused the RECs in Plateau and Benue of working for the interest of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and therefore called for their redeployment would not be able to conduct fair, free and credible elections.