The Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to sanction the Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Mike Igini, for saying that local government council elections organised by State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) were an “organised crime”.
The National Executive Officers of FOSIECON told reporters on Thursday in Abuja that it was unfortunate for an INEC official to make such a comment that ridiculed the nation’s democracy.
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The National Chairman of FOSIECON and Katsina State Chapter Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Bako and the National Publicity Secretary and Taraba State Chapter Chairman, Dr Philip Dan Duwe, who spoke on behalf of other officials, also demanded an unreserved apology and formal retraction from Mr Igini or face serious consequences.
Igini had, during a live television programme said, “Local government elections are nothing but organised crime. They should not be calling them elections at all.
“They are nothing but coronation ceremony that we have across Nigeria and Nigerians are not doing anything about it; that you have lost your LG, that there is no democracy taking place there, because what constitutes free, fair and credible elections with respect to INEC-conducted election is different from that of the local governments.”