[size=13pt]Nigeria: The Call for Igini's Resignation
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The brewing political crisis in Cross River State with the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini in the eye of the storm deserves more than a fleeting comment. Recently, over 1,000 protesting members of the ruling People's Democratic Party, PDP under the aegis of the Concerned Citizens of Cross River State led by Edet Asia stormed the INEC office in Calabar. They brandished various placards and were quite vociferous in their call for the resignation of Igini. Their grouse is predicated on what they perceive as the brazen disenfranchisement of not a few voters in Boki, Calabar South and Bekwara during the recently concluded voters' registration exercise.

In fact, they called for fresh registration of voters in Bakassi and some electoral wards. They also accused Igini of not abiding by the House of Assembly Law 2007 that adjusted the boundary of Akpabuyo. Specifically, they referred to the drop in the number of voters in Obudu from 65 percent in 2006 to 35 percent in the last registration. Though Igini explained that the problem of the reduced figures in the number of voters in the affected areas was caused by the short period afforded by the new Electoral Act, he insisted there were more voters registered in the state now than some five years ago.

Worthy of note, is the position of the Electoral Commissioner that INEC is the only body constitutionally empowered to create wards and constituencies and not the State House of Assembly. Also, on the shortfall of voters in some areas Igini posited that three results were proved invalid as they were not captured by the DDC machines. These electoral flaws, as well as the illegal multiple registrations observed in some wards were discovered after forensic analysis.

Incidentally, only Cross River State conducted such forensic test on the data captured before the display of the voters' register. We commend Igini and his team for this exemplary adherence to the rule of law. Other states should have taken a cue from this act of courage. If done, acts of electoral malfeasances such as allegations of registration of under-aged Nigerians and others similarly involved in multiple registrations would be done away with before the actual voting begins in April.

This legal stance must have fired up members of the Lawyers of Conscience, a Non-Governmental Organisation who have strongly taken exception to the belligerent attitude of the PDP towards Mike Igini. Since President Goodluck Jonathan appointed the State Resident Electoral Commissioners purely on merit we wish to warn against any undue politicization of the voters' registration as the elections approach.

The Federal Government owes it a duty to protect Igini's precious life. His salutary efforts should be seen as that of assisting to strengthen the electoral process, rather than providing loopholes for electoral officers to pander to the whims and caprices of power-poaching politicians.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201103020465.html

What're they still waiting for?

What a boring thread.
So boring.

Andre Uweh:

What a boring thread.
So boring.

e dey pain you!
No wonder you nstill support the status quo, the continuation of corruption as being perpetrated by your borther GEJ and the rest of the PDP gang.
I not entirely surprised as we all know that anything associated with honesty and uprightness always infuriates those of you in team GEJ camp!

@poster,
are u trying to colour PDP bad because GEJ dropped your husband from returning to the senate?