Nigerians from all walks of life have described the outgoing resident electoral commissioner of INEC in Akwa Ibom state, Barr. Mike Igini as a rare breed Nigerian with many positive attributes whose kind is hard to find.
Speakers on Friday at Ibom Hall, venue of the farewell ceremony in his honor, opined that Barr. Igini’s effort towards making democracy a participatory affair in Akwa Ibom and other states he had served as REC was legendary, earning him the sobriquet ‘icon of democracy’.
All Progressive Congress chairman in Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Augustine Ekanem, who was the first to speak said:
” Mike Igini is an honest man. He has the gut to speak the truth, because you can be honest but if you don’t have the gut you may not be able to speak out the truth.”
“I am a beneficiary of his truth without meeting him in person. In my years as a politician in Akwa Ibom state no electoral commissioner has ever delivered results sheets from all the polling units in the state.
Igini was able to break the jink in 2019 elections. Whether there were infractions or not he delivered the materials accordingly.
“Going through his performances in other states there is no evidence that Igini compromised his integrity not minding what people may have said.
He is a young man God has blessed and my prayer is that god should continue to bless him and give him long life. If Nigeria is looking for an honest man to chair electoral body in the nearest future Igini should be the man.”
Also speaking in the same token a close friend of his and a retired management staff of INEC who had worked with Igini in Edo state, Barr. Ade Adeusi now a private legal practitioner based in Osun state, suggested that electoral offences commission be set up and Igini be made to chair the proposed commission.
Asked if he would suggest a monument be named after him as a symbol of appreciation his answer was neither in the positive not negative, rather he corroborated the previous speaker positing that if Nigeria needs an upright man to chair INEC after the incumbent, Igini should be the one.
However, he called for prayers from Nigerians for his life as records are replete with instances where good Nigerians in the mould of Igini had become victims of unfortunate circumstances by evil men who want Nigeria to remain backward forever.
Back to Uyo office of INEC staff were seen in clusters discussing his retirement with mixed feelings. But the sum total of their discussion as was later made known by the admin secretary in a chat with our correspondent was that Igini was leaving behind a very big shoe that may be difficult to fill.
However, he prayed that whoever would be sent should be another man of integrity and capacity like their outgoing boss.
Responding to fine sentiments expressed about him by Nigerians who had to shelve their tight schedules and defied the rain to bid him farewell, Igini attributed the success of 2019 elections in Akwa Ibom state to his staff and wished all the attendees at the event the best.
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