Igini A Good NBA Ambassador At INEC — Immediate Past NBA President, Akpata

The former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, has been described as a good ambassador of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

Immediate past President of the NBA, Olumide Akpata, gave the verdict at the weekend, during a reception for Igini by friends, colleagues and admirers in Lagos

Igini recently retired as the REC in Akwa Ibom State after he completed his second tenure at the Commission.

The gathering rolled out the carpets and drums to celebrate the man they described as a “no-nonsense elections expert” for his unblemished and excellent service after 10 years at the Commission.

Akpata noted that the reception was to say thank you to Igini for a job well done and also help to promote the replication of people like him in public office.

According to him: “Igini has done well and made us proud, I am proud to call him my friend.”

Osa Director, a veteran journalist and lawyer, said Igini has made adherents of social activism proud.

In his words, “we have seen activists go into government and public offices, we all know how most of them ended up, Igini showed character and commitment to integrity and the virtues of accountability and transparency while on duty.”

In his response, Igini, who was caught by surprise at the gesture, thanked his friends and colleagues for the kind gesture to honour him and promised never to let them down both in his public and private life.

He said: “No greater encouragement or honour would friends give than what you have all done for me tonight. I gave my all without thoughts of reward in the last ten years in the service of the fatherland ensuring that we gave meaning to the ballot as the best means of the expression of the will people in a democracy.

“We must take the leadership recruitment process very seriously because everything rises and falls with leadership. No matter what we have gone through as people, hope is still reborn in us and help is on the way with the forthcoming 2023 elections.

“We now have a new 2022 Act that has secured INEC processes and procedures making the polling units result upload as the center where the choice of Nigeria is determined finally and conclusively. Interestingly, we presently do not have a problem of who amongst the candidates can fix the problems of the country.

“In fact, the Political parties have presented competent candidates with track records that Nigerians can elect as president and governors. All that is required of all who want this country to progress is to ensure that we have a peaceful and violent free election in six months time.

“Clearly and undoubtedly, with the candidates that have emerged for the presidential contest, help is on the way for Nigeria”, Igini said.

Prominent businessmen and lawyers, including Kadiri Yusuf SAN, Barr. Mena Ajakpovi, Dr. Anthony Umunna, Dr. William Okotie Clement Onwuewunor, SAN, Rockson Igelige, a prominent entertainment lawyer and former Deputy Editor of Vanguard Newspaper, now a major player in the oil and gas industry, Blessyn Okpowo, among several others attended the reception.