Following allegations of partisanship and political party sympathy trailing his appointment, the chairman, Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC), Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, has denied being a card – carrying member the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking in Uyo, Elder Ikoiwak, who had served as Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC, said he never belonged to or had sympathy for any political party as alleged.
LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that since the nomination and subsequent naming of an alleged chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sir Etekamba Umoren, as the new INEC REC from Akwa Ibom State, people have argued that Elder Ikoiwak is also a PDP member appointed by the state government.
But refuting the allegation, Ikoiwak explained that he had in his 10 years of being an INEC REC conducted elections in various states where four different political parties won at gubernatorial level, maintaining that no REC, dead or alive had achieved such feat.
He attributed this to his resolve to remain focused and diligent in the course of duty and his refusal to be compromised irrespective of who was involved.
He said: “When I was in Bauchi, the ANPP won against a sitting PDP government totally, in Edo, the ACN won against the PDP, in Imo APGA defeated the sitting PDP government, then the PDP won in Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa states.
“So when people say I am a member of a particular political party, I tell them you are not correct if you want to tag a political party on me, don’t tag one party because if it is assumed that when you conduct elections and a party wins it automatically means you are a member of that party then I should be a member of APGA, PDP, ACN,ANPP.”
