By Harris Emmanuel

UYO—THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has given Akwa Ibom State government a clean bill of health over allegations in some quarters that the lists of the adhoc staff recruited for the general election were doctored.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, who made the declaration, while addressing political parties in the state, described the allegations as unfortunate, explaining that the Commission painstakingly put together the lists without prying from the government and could pass transparency test anywhere.

According to him, the lists neither contain card-carrying members of any political party nor manipulated by any party for its advantage at the polls.

Igini put the total number of adhoc staff recruited for the Presidential and National Assembly polls at 20, 028, while 20,048 adhoc staff would assist the Commission to prosecute the governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

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He said: “Contrary to allegations that the Government House gave us the lists of officials, no one in the state ministries is involved with INEC and we do not want anyone who will  hand over results and materials to politicians.

“I will keep to my oath of office to do right to all who come before us as an umpire. We will ensure that the election is credible, and knowing that we operate in the atmosphere of mistrust, the umpire must show that it is above board.”