By Emma Amaize

CALABAR—THE new Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in charge of Cross River State, Mr. Mike Igini, has no official residence, as the one provided by the state government for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC boss, years ago, is in bad condition.

Besides, virtually all the rooms in the INEC office in Calabar are leaking, including the store, where sensitive electoral materials are kept.

Vanguard learnt that the Cross River REC, Mr. Igini has been staying in a hotel since he reported to duty in Calabar and may have been personally settling the bills since the commission did not make provision for hotel accommodation for him.

Already, in Biase and two other local government areas in the state, the owner of the rented buildings the commission is using for its offices had threatened to eject INEC from the apartments because of its inability to pay rent for three years. Contacted on the matter, Mr. Igini confirmed that the official residence donated by the state government to INEC is currently in a decrepit state.