The Inter-Party Advisory Council has dissociated itself from the purported press conference held by the Plateau State chapter of the council where the leadership decried exclusion of the PDP from the rerun election taking place in the state, especially Plateau North.
The IPAC 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 and leaders of all political parties on December 18, 2023 in Abuja.
It said the matter which led to the press conference was exhaustively discussed on the day of the meeting where it was communicated to all stakeholders including leaders of PDP that the party would not be part of the rerun in Plateau due to a subsisting court judgement barring the party from participating in the rerun.
It noted that while the judgement was already being challenged by the party, it was unwise for any individual or group 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 the state was advised to operate within the code of conduct as matters of this nature are exclusively within the purview of the national leadership.
It 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 elect people that will best serve the collective interest.