Card reader arrest: Police report exonerates INEC, staff in A’Ibom

An investigative report by the police over an alleged possession
of some card readers by an INEC staff, Ejike Nwankwo, has
exonerated the staff and the Commission.

Nwankwo, an ICT staff of the Commission, was reportedly arrested
and detained for four days by the police for allegedly being in
possession of four Smart Card Readers during the 2019 general
elections.

It was learnt his arrest became an issue of smear campaign by
the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state in
social and mainstream media.

APC had accused Mike Igini, the Resident Electoral Commissioner
of INEC in the state of using Nwankwo, as a leading team of
technicians “to help him valid doctored 2019 elections in the
state”.

A statement by the INEC’s Public Affairs Officer, Don Etukudo on
Tuesday,a copy of which was made available to newsmen, said police
report had vindicated the staff and exonerated the commission.

The statement reads in part: “Some months ago, a staff of the
Independent National Electoral Commission Akwa Ibom State, Mr.
Ejike Nwankwo, was arrested by the police on the grounds that he
was found with four Smart Card Readers.

“The Police detained the said staff for about four days before
they contacted the Commission to enquire whether he was in lawful
possession of the Smart Card Readers.

Before they contacted the Commission, a picture of Mr. Nwankwo
was taken with the Card Readers on display and sent to the Akwa
Ibom State
Chapter of the APC.

“As usual, the APC latched onto the incident and went to town
with a story that Mr. Nwankwo was leading a team of technicians
employed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom
State, Mike Igini “to help him valid (sic) doctored 2019 elections
in Akwa Ibom State”.

“To lend the story some credibility, they claimed the SCRs were
“recalibrated” and that Mr. Nwankwo who was actually arrested at
about 3:00pm was arrested by 2:00am on a Sunday! This story was
given the widest possible publicity in the social and mainstream
media.

“The Commission promptly issued a statement to the effect that
Mr. Nwankwo, a staff of the ICT Department of the Commission was in
lawful possession of the SCRs.

“The four SCRs had no data in them and were used in the training
of ad-hoc staff during the elections. In any case, the Commission
explained that it was unreasonable to suggest that four SCRs out of
over 3,000 used during the elections could have been manipulated in
any way, to affect the process or outcome of the elections or
the
matters at the tribunals.

“This statement was dismissed by the APC and their hirelings as
afterthought in subsequent commentaries. As in other instances, the
SCRs incident was conclusive proof that Igini had committed
electoral heist “having supervised the conduct of the worst
elections ever in the history of Akwa Ibom State”.

“Instead of focusing on their cases at the tribunal, it was
another opportunity to impugn the integrity of the REC and dismiss
the elections as a fraud”

The statement also admonished the APC in the State, to avail
itself of a copy of the Police Report adding “It is reasonable,
however, to hope that the report will remind them that the
Commission had since concluded the 2019 General Elections and that
whatever is left of the exercise is at the various tribunals”.

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Eid-Kabir: FG Declares Monday, Tuesday, August 12-13,
2019 as Public Holidays

The Federal Government has declared Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th
August as Public Holidays to mark the 2019 Eid-Al-Kabir
celebrations.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Barr. Georgina
Ekeoma Ehuriah, MON, who made the declaration on behalf of the
Federal Government, congratulated the Muslim faithful on the
occasion and called on all Nigerians, at home and in diaspora, to
use the period of this year’s Eid-Al-Kabir celebration to embrace
the virtues of love, humility, peace and sacrifice as exemplified
by the Holy Prophet Mohammed (Pbuh).

She urged Nigerians to shun any form of disruptive tendencies
and join hands with the Federal Government to build a peaceful,
strong and united Nigeria so as to achieve an enviable Next Level
of growth and development.

Barr. Ehuriah reaffirmed the determination of the President
Muhammadu Buhari led-administration to protect the lives and
properties of Nigerians, adding that Security Agencies under the
Ministry have been directed to ensure the provision of adequate
security, before, during and after the the Eid-Al-Kabir
celebrations.

The Permanent Secretary restated Government’s desire for all
Nigerians to live a life of sacrifice, charity and love for one
another.
She wishes Nigerians a Happy, peaceful and fulfilling Eid-Al-Kabir
celebrations.

SIGNED
Mohammed Manga
Director (Press & Public Relations)
For: Permanent Secretary
6th August, 2019