2024: IPAC Demands Free, Fair Off-season Governorship Polls, Bye-elections

The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has demanded free, fair, credible, transparent, inclusive, acceptable and peaceful off-season governorship elections and bye-elections in 2024 and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide a level playing field to all the political parties and their candidates participating in the upcoming polls.

IPAC in a New Year Message signed by the national chairman-elect Yusuf Mamman Dantalle and made available to journalists in Abuja, yesterday, said the INEC should improve its performance in the general election and off-season governorship polls and ensure that electoral materials are adequate and functional particularly the BVAS and the IREV portal to avoid undue glitches that could mar the exercise.

“The people’s vote must be counted and count in the overall results and their mandates respected by all stakeholders in the electoral process. Election is the beauty of democracy. The ballot is sacrosanct. Eligible voters are urged to turn up en masse to exercise their franchise as we jointly deepen the nation’s democracy.

“The obvious flaws witnessed during the 2023 general election and the off season gubernatorial polls call for further electoral reform and amendment of the Electoral Act 2022 to address them. IPAC in collaboration with critical stakeholders will champion this to ensure credible elections in Nigeria,” he said.

The chairman of the umbrella body of registered political parties in Nigeria gave glory to God for His grace, mercy and preservation in 2023, which he described as a memorable year in Nigeria.

He said in spite of political tension and uncertainty associated with general election, economic recession aggravated by the removal of fuel subsidy, devaluation of naira and insecurity across the nation, Nigerians are amazingly resilient, surmounted all odds and expressed abiding faith in the fatherland to build a nation bound in freedom, love and unity where peace and justice shall reign. “It is patriotism at its finest,” he added.

“The New Year provides us another opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the higher pursuit of a better, greater, prosperous, equitable and decent democratic nation. It is time for individual and national healing of fractured and ruptured relationships caused by the 2023 general election and various communities’ conflicts bearing in mind that ‘Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand.’

“No doubt, 2024 will usher us to a nation that encourages and takes pride in our ethnic diversity, our religious diversity, our cultural diversity – aware that out of this pluralistic heritage will come the strength, vitality and creativity that will make us great and will keep us great with good leadership and good governance as the great arsenal of democracy in Africa.

“The tasks ahead are enormous and will require exceptional patriotism, political sagacity, leadership acumen and tenacity of purpose to combat insecurity, turnaround the economy, improve infrastructure, provide jobs, maintain social cohesion, boost the people’s standards of living and move the nation forward,” he said.

He noted that leadership is a deep and heavy responsibility, accordingly, all elected public officers are mandated to discharge their constitutional duties without fear or favour and fulfill their campaign promises to the people without excuses. He reminded leaders that they are elected to solve problems for the good of the masses and not to make flimsy excuses of overwhelming baggage inherited from their predecessors.

“It is in view of this that IPAC set up a Peer Review Mechanism to monitor the achievements of elected public officers in delivering fruits of democracy to the people across the nation. As a major stakeholder in the democratic process, IPAC will continue to hold national leaders accountable in the quest for a strong, virile, progressive and united nation,” he added.

He demanded free, fair, credible, transparent, inclusive, acceptable and peaceful bye-elections and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to provide a level playing field to all the political parties and their candidates participating in the upcoming polls. He urged the commission to improve its performance in the general election and off-season governorship polls and ensure that electoral materials are adequate and functional particularly the BVAS and the IREV portal to avoid undue glitches that could mar the exercise.

“The people’s vote must be counted and count in the overall results and their mandates respected by all stakeholders in the electoral process. Election is the beauty of democracy. The ballot is sacrosanct. Eligible voters are urged to turn up en masse to exercise their franchise as we jointly deepen the nation’s democracy.

The obvious flaws witnessed during the 2023 general election and the off season gubernatorial polls call for further electoral reform and amendment of the Electoral Act 2022,” he said.

He said the Judiciary is the beacon of hope to all aggrieved citizens and as the temple of justice it should be firm and decisive in discharging its constitutional duties aware that all eyes are on it particularly on election disputes.

He appreciated leaders of political parties for the success of the 18th December, 2023 IPAC election monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in which he emerged as the national chairman of the council.

“It was indeed a free, fair, credible, transparent, peaceful and generally accepted election. The spirit of sportsmanship showed by contestants for various positions was an eloquent testimony of the maturity, unity and patriotism of party leaders in Nigeria.

“I was humbled by the concession speech of the immediate past national chairman, Engr. Yabagi Yusuf Sani who applauded the election as free, fair, credible and transparent and congratulated me stating that as party leaders and democrats, IPAC should always set example in conducting a credible election,” he said.