Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has condemned the “illegal, unconstitutional and unwarranted declaration” of Adamawa State governorship supplementary election result by the suspended resident electoral commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, last Sunday while collation of results was in progress.
In a statement by the national chairman Engr. Yabagi Yusuf Sani and made available to LEADERSHIP in Abuja yesterday, it said that it was outrageous and a mockery of the nation’s emerging democracy which has caused undue tension in the polity.
IPAC demanded the immediate sack and prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ari and his accomplices in this deliberate assault on “our hard earned democracy to serve as a deterrent to others who would contemplate such heinous crime against the fatherland. The need for the Electoral Offences Commission to try electoral offenders cannot be overemphasized.”
It said that it is inconceivable that a REC would usurp the powers of the returning officer and announce the result of a governorship supplementary election, more so, when the collation of results was ongoing, adding that it is a sad commentary in the nation’s electoral process and a dent on INEC as an umpire.
“However, the swift response of the national leadership of the commission in reversing this theatre of the absurd and suspending the errant Resident Electoral Commissioner is commendable in the quest for free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive elections in Nigeria. INEC should justify the confidence the populace reposed in it and do the right thing as we collectively consolidate our democracy,” it noted.
IPAC reiterated its call for a review of the process in appointing RECs as some of them are partisan and ignorant of their statutory duties and would go out of their way to foist their preferred candidates, thus subverting the will and mandate of the people which could lead to political upheavals.
“Council will strongly resist any attempt to impose an unpopular leader on fellow compatriots. The ballot is sacrosanct and must be respected as power belongs to the people. Anything short of this is unacceptable. Together, we will build a strong, progressive, prosperous and equitable democratic nation,” it added.
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