INEC says A’Ibom APC gov candidate lied against it to get sympathy for federal appointment

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has waved aside allegations leveled against it by the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Nsima Ekere, who alleged that his legal team has been denied access to election materials.

According to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Akwa Ibom State, Mr Mike Igini, the APC governorship candidate lied about the matter to deceive the public so as to gain sympathy in order to get federal appointments.

Speaking in an interview with the Sun, the Akwa Ibom REC said Ekere and his legal team failed to honour an appointment to inspect the materials but resorted to issuing press releases that they were denied access.

Igini said; “There are some reasons why people go to the tribunals; one of the reasons is that people who have genuine reason where return that was made should not have been made have reasons to go the tribunal; also contestants in an election that have lost out also go the tribunal first to rationalise defeat; they also go to the tribunal for the purpose of blackmailing those that have been returned with a view to having some form of settlement to defray their personal cost.

Read also: AKWA IBOM: APC gov candidate accuses INEC of denying legal team access to election materials

“They also go to the tribunal to remain in the media for a long time because by virtue of Section 285, you will need to spend about 180 days in the tribunal and 60 days each in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. So, if you still have an intension to contest another election, you remain in the public domain for a very long time.

“And finally, you know on the 29th on this month, there will be exchange of baton; new governors will be sworn in. The president also will have to be sworn in for the second time. There is going to be a cabinet constitution. So you need to make noise in any of your jurisdiction now so that they can hear you.

“In fact, currently, I can tell you, this is the one that is being applied in so many of the states right now. And in this state, I am aware that they are going to up their media engagement as from next week,” Igini added.

Days ago, Ekere had accused INEC of denying his legal team access to election materials, saying the electoral body is frustrating his case by denying his legal team access to materials used in the last governorship election in the state.

Speaking with newsmen in Akwa Ibom on Tuesday, the leader of the legal team of the APC governorship candidate, Chief Victor Iyanam, said he has consequently written to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mike Igini, accusing him of disobeying tribunal orders and bias against Ekere.

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