Baseless Allegations Against Barr. Mike Igini: UPU caution Imuse and Mayaki

 

The Urhobo Progressive Union condemns in absolute term the failed attempt by the duo of Col. David Imuse (Rtd.) and John Mayaki to smear the reputation and character of Hon. Barr. Mike Igini,  one the rare and finest public officer that the Nigerian people have come to know and appreciate deeply for his integrity, competence, consistency, dedication and strength of character,  How could a man who merely passed through Benin in the company of other people on his way to a funeral event in Delta but stopped at Protea to eat in an open restaurant, (where mischief-makers discreetly took a photoshoot of him that they are threatening to release)  and had since returned to Lagos be said to be holding a meeting with Gov. Obaseki at 3am in Benin?

Why not release pictures and video evidence of the meeting but instead threaten about pictures of a restaurant Hon. Barr. Mike Igini himself told the world he visited to eat?  Is it possible for an individual to sleep at different locations on the same day and night?  Why have they not contradicted Honourable Commissioner Mike Igini’s categorical statement that he was never in Benin on Thursday, 27^th of August 2020, but in Lagos? if he was not in Benin on a faithful day as claimed, every other claim is clearly mere fabrications intended to bring down a good man.

This is why Nigerians have reacted angrily from all parts of the country condemning the two characters behind this ugly and barefaced lies against Barr. Mike Igini.  Nigerians are very proud of him and we the people of Urhobo and Delta state as a whole regard him as a worthy son and a good ambassador that should not be brought down unnecessarily because of the dirty politics of governorship election when he is not even the Commissioner in charge or asked to play a role in the said election.

We the people of present-day Delta and Edo are one and the same having come a long way as MID-Westerners and Bendelites and should not destroy any of our own that other Nigerians have acknowledged of being a man of demonstrable integrity in all the places where he has conducted elections.

The grace of God is upon him, Nigerians have confidence in Barr. Mike Igini, we believe him and the ancestors of Urhobo in the entire 23 kingdoms are behind him to continue to serve with honesty and integrity.

The UPU hereby call on the leadership of the  APC and its candidate in Edo State to publicly call to order  Col. David  Imuse and John Mayaki because we do not believe that what they tried to achieve but have failed woefully represent the official position of the party given that in 2015 election, Barr Igini was celebrated by the Edo people on his stance and tough position on free, fair and credible election, particularly when under the PDP led federal government, as an umpire he declared very courageously to the admiration of Nigerians that no federal might will determine the election in Edo state.

The APC should not forget so quickly that it was only in Edo state in 2015 with Barr. Mike Igini as the REC that President Buhari as a candidate scored 46% of the vote cast, won senatorial and federal seats as well as the majority in the state House of Assembly. What has changed?  Just seeing his shadow in the course of passing through Benin to Delta shouldn’t be a problem because we in Delta want him to come and conduct an election in our state. If any political group is afraid that he should not be deployed to Edo because he will do the right thing and will not allow manipulation of the election, the INEC leadership should be prevailed upon quietly instead of this failed attempt to smear his good name and the reputation he has built over time. Since 2010 when he was appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan into the INEC and again reappointed by President Mohammadu Buhari and the only one so appointed from amongst the ones that served in the previous government from the entire south-south and south-east of this country,   Hon. Barr. Mike Igini has conducted himself honourably with a track record of advocacy for electoral reforms that inspired many Nigerians to repose faith in the Electoral system and INEC. This unwarranted attack is condemned in totality and the UPU calls on well known and respected elders of APC in Edo State to caution these errant party members.

The UPU wishes the people of Edo state a peaceful election.

 

Chief  J. O. Omene

President-General