Ahead of the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States, the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that there should be no excuse for poor performance.
Its Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during INEC quarterly meeting with leaders of political parties.
Dantalle, who is also the National Chairman Allied People’s Movement (APM) said it is the duty of political leaders to ensure the elections meet international best practices and also hold critical stakeholders accountable.
According to him, Vote selling and buying, thuggery, voter apathy and intimidation of electoral officials particularly to declare results under duress are still issues militating against the conduct of credible polls in Nigeria.
Dantalle added that the current leadership of IPAC would live up to its mandate to ensure an environment conducive for the conduct of successful elections.
He commended the leadership of INEC for its performance so far, while adding that so much still needs to be done to improve the nation’s electoral process that would drastically reduce post-elections petitions and litigations.
He added that IPAC would set up a Constitution and Electoral Act Amendments Committee to review glaring irregularities in recent elections and make proposals to the National Assembly in its ongoing Constitution and Electoral Act amendments.
Dantalle noted: “Accordingly, IPAC will set up a Constitution and Electoral Act Amendments Committee to review glaring irregularities in recent elections and make proposals to the National Assembly in its ongoing Constitution and Electoral Act amendments.
“In this regard, IPAC will be proactive to ensure that the Edo and Ondo States gubernatorial elections meet the expectations of Nigerians and the international community.
“There should be no excuse for poor performance. IPAC will constantly engage INEC and major stakeholders to ensure the success of these elections and will be there for mobilization of voters, sensitization and monitoring of polls.”
Dantalle stressed that just as Council would engage leaders of political parties on strict adherence to internal party democracy in the nomination of candidates for various elective offices which would in turn reduce pre- elections litigations.
According to him, It is unfortunate that funds that should have been deployed to deepen party politics and structures in the country are spent on avoidable litigations that distracted, disorganised, disrupted and destabilized activities of most political parties and eventually change of leaderships.
Dantalle noted that imposition of candidates are sponsored by notorious godfathers and reactionary forces from other political parties to ensure they conquer the electoral process.
This, he said, must be resisted by all lovers of democracy in Nigeria, adding that it was time to sanitise the electoral system, ensure integrity of elections that would reinforce citizens’ confidence in the nation’s emerging democracy.