IPAC to INEC: Maintain neutrality during Edo, Ondo polls — your integrity at stake

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain neutral during the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states. 

Yusuf Dantalle, IPAC national chairman, spoke on Thursday at a meeting of INEC and political parties at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Dantalle said the election is a chance for political party leaders to restore confidence in the electoral process by ensuring the sanctity of the ballot box, and respect the mandate of the people.

“After 25 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, we must get it right this time,” he said.

“The Edo state gubernatorial polls will be a litmus test for the Ondo state governorship election scheduled for Saturday 16th November 2024, which in turn gives direction to future elections in the country.

“Certainly, the integrity of INEC is at stake. The commission should justify the confidence citizens reposed in it to conduct free, fair, credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections. The success of these elections will rebuild trust in the electoral process and boost voter turnout.”

The council urged political parties and their candidates to imbibe issue-based campaigns that will unite the people and foster development.

“There is no place for politics of bitterness and violence that has impeded the nation’s hard earned democracy. It is time to change the narrative. It is time for patriotism. It is time to strengthen, deepen and advance our democracy,” he said.

“It is a collective task in the quest for a strong, united, progressive, prosperous, equitable and just democratic society.

“To further enhance the nation’s representative governance, political parties should adhere strictly to internal democracy as provided in their respective constitution. We must live and lead by example.

“It is obvious that the failure to comply with parties’ constitutions is the remote cause of crises, leadership disagreements, factionalizations and litigations that have retarded the development of party politics in Nigeria.

“We should be the solution we seek in advancing democracy in the country. It is easy to blame the electoral body, security agencies and the Judiciary when as leaders of political parties we cannot comply with clear provisions of our parties’ constitutions and basic provisions of the electoral act and guidelines.

“It is time to jettison impunity and embrace internal democracy in our activities, particularly in the nomination of candidates for elections.”