719 Pending Court Cases Distraction to Political Process, Says Igini

Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie

A former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, is worried over the rising court cases filed by aggrieved political parties, which have reached 719, describing them as a distraction to the country’s political process.

According to him, even though the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has put several reforms in place to maintain political stability, politicians keep going to court at the slightest opportunity.

Igini who spoke yesterday on ‘The Morning Show’ on ARISE NEWS Channels, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, said: “INEC has put so many reforms in place to strengthen our electoral processes, yet there are as much as 719 court cases instituted by politicians and the court cases are distraction to our political processes and I do not see the court concluding on all the cases before the next general election, which comes up next month, because some of the cases will end up at the supreme court.”

He said some politicians have even gone to court to stop INEC from using the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), which he said, could be issues contrary to the statutory position of INEC policy and the people’s wish.

Igini therefore called on members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to call politicians to order, whenever they are presiding over such cases.

Reacting to the issue of insecurity already threatening the general election, and the statement that emanated from INEC official who represented the commission at a particular occasion, warning that INEC may cancel the election, following the spate of insecurity across the country, Igini said such statement was never the position of INEC and that INEC Chairman had never at any point suggested cancellation of election because of insecurity.

He assured Nigerians that the current insecurity in the country would not compel INEC to cancel an election that is 44 days away. 

“The INEC officer who represented the commission and was suggesting the idea of cancelling the forthcoming election as a result og insecurity across the country, took it too far.

“The insecurity across the country has not reached the level where INEC will be suggesting cancellation of elections,” Igini further said.

He explained that INEC was making efforts to ensure that all registered Nigerians collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and that distribution of PVCs have reached local government and ward levels.

He further explained that INEC has blocked all loopholes around PVCs, both statutory and procedural, such that any politician who still goes about collecting PVC data from registered voters, in order to rig election, would be wasting time, because INEC has fully secured all PVCs with the BVAs, unlike the card readers that gave room for election rigging.