IPAC Explains PDP Exclusion From Plateau North Rerun

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has dissociated itself from a press conference held by the Plateau State chapter of the Council where it decried the exclusion of PDP from the forthcoming rerun election taking place in the state, especially Plateau North.

The IPAC national leadership, in a statement by the national publicity secretary, Chinyere Ogekalu, said the action of the Plateau State chapter was misguided as it was not a representation of the outcome of the consultative stakeholders’ meeting held by INEC with the leadership of all political parties on December 18, 2024 at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

It said the subject matter which led to the needless press conference was exhaustively discussed on the day of the meeting where it was communicated to all stakeholders including the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the party will not be part of the rerun in Plateau State owing to a subsisting judgement of Court barring the party from participating in the rerun elections.

It noted that while the court judgement is already being challenged by the concerned political party, it was unwise for any individual or group of individuals under any guise to embark on any course of action capable of inciting violence or derailing the fragile peace in Plateau State.

It said the leadership of the Council in Plateau State was admonished to operate within the ambit of the law.

The umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria, therefore, charged all stakeholders in Plateau State and other states where the rerun elections will be taking place to eschew violence and go out peacefully to exercise their franchise by electing credible individuals that will best serve their collective interest.