LAGOS MARCH 25TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, a former minister of Foreign Affairs has asserted that the Independent National Electoral Commission needs people like Mike Igini in the office.

 The former Resident Electoral Commissioner for the Akwa Ibom state election stimulated the jailing of Professor Peter Ogban in 2019 over the manipulation of results in the Akwa Ibom senatorial election.

Peter Ogban who allegedly manipulated the results  in order to favour Senator Godswill Akpabio, the APC Senatorial candidate. 

Professor Akinyemi speaking in an interview with Arise TV alleged that since the state governors have immunity against prosecution. He clarified that RECs and INEC officials do not have that exemption from prosecution.

He argued that if the system have people like Mike Igini who could fight till the end to jail corrupt officials in the commission, then the system will gradually change.

In his words, Nigeria needs people like Mike Igini as INEC Chairman. If you would recall that Professor Peter Ogban was sentenced to three years in imprisonment in 2021 with a fine of N100,000 for manipulation of results.

He said, ”We need more Mike Igini in the INEC. We need more people like him as RECs and even as the INEC Chairman. Mike Igini jailed Professor Peter Ogban in 2019 senatorial election over manipulation of results.

“I know of people with integrity in this country because I have served on many committees. But something goes wrong when you are dealing with election of governors and the Presidential election. People start to compromise when they get money. We need a change of mind so that we can turn around the system.”