Mike Igini, a former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner, has expressed profound regret for spending ten years of his career with the commission.
Speaking during an appearance on an interview on Arise News, Igini spoke about the entrenched opposition to credible elections and the dangers reformers face.
Mike Igini highlighted the longstanding resistance to fair elections and the personal risks involved, including the killing of his colleague in Kano for attempting to “do the right thing.”
“I spent over 30 years of my life, including 10 practical years in INEC, working to remove the history of our elections from the realm of frustration and pain, so we can give meaning and purpose to the ballot as the best means of expressing the will of the people in a democracy,” Igini said.
“To now find out that all that we did was in vain, that’s why I regret that I wasted my 10 years in service of the fatherland because I’d have been a dead man by now.
“However, I would have been a dead man pursuing this cause; my colleague in Kano was killed because we wanted to do the right thing for Nigeria. His entire family wiped out.”
Mike Igini further expressed concern over the proposed changes to the Electoral Act, warning that if the president approves them, presiding officers at voting places may be seriously threatened.
In light of systemic issues, Igini criticised the “level of hypocrisy” displayed by individuals participating in Nigeria’s elections and said his efforts were ultimately in vain.
Igini, an advocate of electoral integrity, highlighted the importance of safeguarding the democratic process and making sure the ballot accurately represents the will of the people.
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