Akwa Ibom REC, Mike Igini, to sue Edo APC spokesman for N1bn

The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, Barr. Mike Igini, has threatened to file a N1 billion lawsuit against the spokesman of the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Blessing Agbomhere, for alleged defamatory statements the APC chieftain made against him.

Agbomere had, in an interview on Arise TV on June 29, accused Igini of bias against the APC in the primary election held by the party in Akwa Ibom, accusing him of working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

“Mike Igini has abused the privilege of his office, he is partial and biased against the interest of APC in Akwa Ibom State, he is working for the PDP in Akwa Ibom State, he is a ceremonial consultant to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State in electoral matters.

“He has compromised the values of INEC, he is a hatchet man hired by the PDP to work for them in INEC, shamelessly defending the rights of political parties and that he lives in the Lodge of the Government of Akwa Ibom State….. that he has videos of him driving in and coming out,” Agbomere had said among other things.

While taking an exception to the allegations, Igini, in a pre-litigation notice served on Agbomere on Monday by his team of lawyers led by Chief Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), alleged that the APC chieftain had not only accused him of working for the PDP in Akwa Ibom, but also acting as a ceremonial consultant to Governor Udom Emmanuel who lived in the Government House, which he said were baseless.

The REC therefore, gave Agbomhere 48 hours to retract the said defamatory statements and tender an apology to him in four major television stations and five newspapers or he should be prepared to meet him in court.

Part of the litigation notice reads:

“The malicious accusations aired to the whole world have, ever since, been given unprecedented publicity and they constitute the most wicked attack on the towering image of our client, who over the years, has earned a deserved reputation in Nigeria and internationally as a forthright electoral umpire.

“Your said bogus allegations were hellish conjectures from the spiral imaginations of a mischief maker who neither have the fear of God nor regard for a man of probity in your misguided foray for ephemeral political power.

Read also: Igini, INEC REC accused by APC of plot to rig Edo guber for Obaseki, responds

“As characteristic of unrepentant blackmailers, you threw caution to the wind, and in your frenzied efforts to disparage our client without checking your facts, you did not know (and will be shocked to know) that our client does not know where the Government Lodge of Akwa Ibom State is located and that our client lives in the official quarters of Independent National Electoral Commission in Uyo, and this is very well known to you.

“We have the instruction of our client to challenge you or anyone else to post your taunted pictures and videos to the whole world.”

“Consequently, we have been instructed by our client to demand from you a retraction of the defamatory statements and an apology to be broadcast on Arise Television, Channels Television, AIT, TVC and to also be published on a full page in The PUNCH Newspapers, Guardian Newspapers, Vanguard Newspapers, Tribune Newspapers and Sunday Sun Newspapers within 48 hours from the receipt of this letter.

“We also demand the modest sum of N1bn from you as damages for the said defamatory statements.

“Take note that if you fail, refuse and or neglect to comply with the above demand within the stated period, we shall have no other option than to perfect our client’s standing instructions against you.”

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