DELTA State Chapter of Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Friday, commended the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in the State, Revd Monday Udoh-Tom for the deft handling of men and materials during the conduct of the 2023 elections.
IPAC in a statement by its Chairman, Comrade Emeka Bidokwu, said: “When the current Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Monday Udoh Tom was posted to Delta State in November, 2019, many of us believed he was in for a difficult job. Delta State being a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual state, it is often regarded as a microcosm of Nigeria. Therefore whoever comes to Delta State as REC should be prepared for a tough job.
“This is one of the few times that the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Delta State chapter will come out openly to commend a REC posted to Delta State. From the interactive sessions the REC, Monday Udoh Tom had with Political Parties, the deft handling of men and materials, to the conduct of the 2023 elections, the REC proved himself to be a listener, outstanding administrator, excellent planner and achiever.
“Whenever faced with a difficult situation, he never panicked but remained calm and faced his assignment with practiced decorum. The 2023 General election in Delta State was an election like no other. It was the first time that three or four strong Governorship candidates of Political Parties will be vying for the Governorship in the State. It was a situation that could confound many a REC.
“Yet, Monday Udoh Tom was still able to conduct one of the freest, fairest and credible elections in the history of Delta State. To this end, we commend the REC for making us proud by giving integrity to the electoral process. We equally commend the entire INEC team in Delta State for their uncommon synergy, hard work and dexterity. We equally commend the Security Agencies for not being partisan but rather displayed excellent professionalism in the conduct of their duties.
“IPAC Delta State chapter is so pleased with the accomplishment of Monday Udoh Tom as Delta State REC that we decided to research into his profile and we came up with the following:
“Monday Udoh Tom was born on the 1st of September, 1960 in Akwa-Ibom State. He attended his Primary School at Calabar where he got his First School Leaving Certificate before proceeding to the Salvation Army Secondary School, Akai-Ubium where in 1978 he obtained his WASC. In 1980 he was admitted into the University of Calabar where he graduated in Biological Sciences in 1984 with Second Class (Hon.) Upper Division. After his NYSC, he headed back to Cross River State and in 1985 he was posted to teach in his Alma Mata, the Salvation Army Secondary School.
“In 1987 while still teaching in the Army Salvation School, he got admitted to study for an M.SC in the Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing, with Industrial Microbiology as his option, in the defunct Anambra State University of Technology, Awka, now Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. At the conclusion of his M.Sc programme, he returned to teaching with the Akwa-Ibom State Government.
“In 1990, he was employed by the Akwa-Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit as Lecturer II. He remained in the institution until 1997 when he joined the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism as an Industrial Promotion Officer I. He was later transferred to Eket as the Area Industrial Officer. In 2018, he was appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Monday Udoh was sworn into office following his confirmation by the Senate on the 31st of January, 2019 and was posted to Bayelsa State as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC). There he conducted the general election of 2019 and the Bayelsa Governorship election in November, 2019 and was redeployed to Delta State as the Resident Electoral Commissioner in August, 2020 where he is still serving till date. In his more quest for knowledge, Mr Udo got registered as a Ph.D student in Ignatius University of Education Port Harcourt in September 2019 and on 23rd January 2023 he defended his Thesis for the award of a Ph.D degree in Environmental and Microbiology.
Monday Udoh is happily married with four children and three lovely granddaughters”.