Mike Igini, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has claimed that the United Kingdom (UK) introduced Nigeria to election rigging.
Igini, who spoke during an interview on Arise TV on Friday, warned that Nigeria’s destiny was in its hands, adding that the country had all the human and material resources it needed but lacked effective leadership.
According to Igini, the UK, which Nigerians visit frequently after their home country, had no post-election adjudication despite introducing Nigeria to election rigging for almost a century.
He expressed concern over the ongoing court cases in Nigeria arising from the last election and called on Nigerians to take ownership of their country’s future.
Igini stated, “What I want Nigerians to know is that whatever we make of this country, that is what it will become. It is clearly in our hands because, in this country, Nigeria, with all the human and material resources, all that’s required is leadership. Today, we are now in Court over the election that has been conducted.”
The UK has been a long-standing ally of Nigeria, and both countries have enjoyed strong bilateral relations over the years.
However, the issue of election rigging has been a source of contention between the two countries, with Nigeria accusing the UK of interfering in its political affairs.
In 2018, the UK government denied allegations of interference in Nigeria’s elections after the Nigerian government accused it of supporting opposition parties.
The UK High Commission in Nigeria dismissed the allegations, stating that the UK government was committed to supporting free and fair elections in Nigeria.
Despite the UK’s denial, Igini’s comments suggest that the issue of election rigging remains a sore point for many Nigerians.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
