The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Akwa-Ibom State, Mr. Mike Igini has threatened to sue the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s campaign council over an alleged defamatory statement credited to them.
Ize-Iyamu’s campaign council in a statement had alleged that Governor Obaseki has engaged Igini to manipulate the September 19 governorship election in the state.
Dated August 31 and addressed separately to Col. David Imuse (Rtd), chairman, Ize-Iyamu’s campaign council, and Mayaki demanded the retraction of the statement, an apology letter that would be broadcast in major television stations and also to be published in major national dailies.
Besides, Igini also demanded the sum of One billion naira from Ize-Iyamu’s campaign council as damages for the said defamatory statement.
The lawyer however stated that if the campaign council fails, refuse or neglect to comply with the demand of his client within 48hours, he would have no option than to perfect his client standing order against them.
Meanwhile, the national president, Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima has berated the campaign council over the allegation.
Shettima in a statement described it as patently untrue and very laughable.
He said prominent political actors who currently hold significant positions in political parties and public offices in the country since 1999, were mostly bystanders in the struggle for the return of democracy in Nigeria.
The statement read in part: “Many of the said political actors who reap enormous rewards from the political arena in which they made no sacrifices to attain are often reckless in their actions because they never paid the heavy price that many who struggled to earn the democracy they enjoy had to bear.
“These actors are, therefore, quick to make unguarded statements and think very little about jeopardizing the democratic enterprise in Nigeria at the slightest threat to the huge rewards they collect from the Nigerian people.
“ It is against the above background that my attention was drawn to some patently untrue and very laughable allegations against the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Akwa-Ibom State, Mr. Mike Igini, to the effect that he is complicit with some political actors in Edo state, with the intention of undermining the forthcoming Edo election. This is a very ridiculous and mendacious allegation given the attributes of Igini that we all know as Nigerians. “An uncompromising activist and a public officer per excellence who has shown exceptional character and integrity as an electoral commissioner.
“ He fought for and was at the frontline of the struggle for democracy, a battle we all fought together against anti-democratic forces in Nigeria”.
THE SUN
