Akwa Ibom APC petitions INEC chairman over REC

By Vincent Kalu

The Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has petitioned the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmoud over the conduct of the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the state, Mr. Mike Igini, in according unlawful recognition to a factional structure of the APC in the state against the judgment/ orders of the Federal High Court, thus creating a parallel executive committee in the state.

In a petition entitled, “Complicity on the part of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Akwa Ibom State – Mr. Mike Igini, in creating and according unlawful recognition to a parallel and factional structure of the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State: Request for immediate intervention,”  Hon. Stephen Leo Ntukekpo, the state chairman of APC, Akwa Ibom State, called on the INEC boss for an intervention to save the party from crisis.   The Federal High Court, Abuja had delivered judgment in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1635/2021 between Obong Stephen Leo Ntukekpo and two others versus APC and three others on March 16, 2022.

“In the said suit, I challenged the infraction of several provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the provisions of the APC Constitution and guidelines for the conduct of APC Congress and judgement was delivered in my favour.

“Consequently, aggrieved parties appealed the said judgement. The APC letter withdrew its appeal and same was dismissed thus paving way for my swearing in as the state chairman of the APC by the National Chairman of the party, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu in obedience to and in compliance with judgement of the court.

“Since judgment was delivered, Mr. Mike Igini has refused to recognise my office and has chosen the path of willful and malicious disobedience to the orders of the court. This, he has demonstrated in several ways. For instance, all attempts to serve correspondences and notices as required by law from my office have been rebuffed by members of staff of INEC Uyo ostensibly on the orders of Igini,” Ntukekpo said.