Igini Denies Manipulating Polls Results In A’Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Mike Igini, has denied manipulating the Presidential and National Assembly election results in the state.
Igini made this known  in an interview with the newsmen in Uyo last Saturday.
He said that the allegation was not true and that the election was not manipulated.
Igini said that elections were won and lost at the polling units, saying the REC would not be at the polling units from the beginning to the close of the polls.
“The allegations are incorrect, we have a total of 2,980 polling units, I was not in any these polling units from the opening to the close of the polls.
“I have no vote to give nor will I allow anybody to manipulate the election process,” Igini said.
He noted that the commission had put in place, anti-rigging devices to check election malpractice in the state.
Igini explained that the strength of the political parties were determined on the election day at the polling units.
The REC said that henceforth,  no politician would have access to poll officials in the state.
“No politician will know the level of presiding and collation officers in the state.
“They can no longer be the ones to supply ad-hoc staff that function in those categories,” Igini said.
The Akwa Ibom REC noted that the era where politicians were writing results had ended in Akwa Ibom, alleging that politicians before now carried result sheets to their houses, thumb print and re-write results.
“What they used  to do in time past is to write results but it is now that they allow people to vote their conscience.