“The allegations are incorrect. We have a total of 2,980 polling units. I was not in any these polling units from the opening to the close of the polls. I have no vote to give, nor will I allow anybody to manipulate the election process,” he said.
Mike Igini, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, says politicians can no longer supply ad hoc staff for elections.
He also insisted that he didn’t manipulate the presidential and National Assembly election results in the state.
Speaking in an interview with NAN in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State, on Saturday, he said he was not present at the polling units during the polls.
“The allegations are incorrect. We have a total of 2,980 polling units. I was not in any these polling units from the opening to the close of the polls. I have no vote to give, nor will I allow anybody to manipulate the election process,” he said.
He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had put in place anti-rigging devices to check election malpractice in the state, adding that the strength of the political parties were determined on election day at the polling units.
Speaking on ad hoc staff for elections, he said: “No politician will know the level of presiding and collation officers in the state. They can no longer be the ones to supply ad hoc staff that function in those categories.
“What they used to do in time past is to write results but it is now that they allow people to vote their conscience. The era of writing results on behalf of the good people of Akwa Ibom is gone forever.”