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Tag: IPAC

  • Mid-term: IPAC hails Ugwuanyi on good governance

    Ahead of the 2017 Democracy Day celebration, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Enugu State chapter, the umbrella organisation of all the political parties in Nigeria, has scored Governor IfeanyiUgwuanyi high on good governance, peace and infrastructural development.

    In a statement signed by the State Chairman and Secretary of IPAC, John Nwobodo and Ken Onyekaonwu respectively, the body expressed delight at the achievements of Ugwuanyi’s administration “in just two years in office”, saying that the governor’s “many positive actions, projects and programmes have elevated governance to a higher pedestal in the state”.

    IPAC also applauded the governor’s exhibition of vision, candor, humility, simplicity, all-inclusiveness and other uncommon leadership styles, which they said have endeared him to the people of the state.

    “Following our objective and dispassionate assessment, we are pleased to say that we appreciate your achievements in the areas of road construction and rehabilitation, including intervention on federal roads; rural access roads and rural interconnectivity through bridges; peace and security; regular and prompt payment of salaries of civil servants and release of subventions to government parastatals and institutions”, the body told Ugwuanyi.

    The group also commendedthe governor for his empowerment programmes aimed at economic growth and alleviation of the sufferings of the people such as the Enugu State Traders Empowerment Scheme.

  • Buhari saved Nigeria from crisis, says IPAC

    The Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria, (IPAC) has commended President Muhammdu Buhari for handing over power to Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo (SAN), to act on his behalf when he was on medical vacation abroad.

    The decision, IPAC said, saved the nation from avoidable constitutional crisis, unlike in the past.

    National Chairman of IPAC, Hon. Muhammad Nalado, gave the commendation at a meeting with political leader, in Abuja.

    Nalado urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the speedy recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari adding that as human everyone is prone to sickness and require medical attention.

    IPAC, he said, met to review its activities in a bid to deepen and strengthen democracy.

    The umbrella body of all registered political party also called on the Constitutional and Electoral Committee to work assiduously with the National Assembly to ensure effective and prompt amendments to the 2010 Electoral Act before the 2019 general elections.

    His words: “We are all prone to sickness and we require medical attention and devein intervention to be restored to health. May the Almighty God remove and expose all those things that threaten lives in our communities, in our states, and in our country.

    “IPAC commend President Muhammadu Buhari for properly handing over to Vice President, Professor, Yemi Osibanjo, SAN to act on his behalf which has saved the nation from avoidable constitutional crisis as obtainable in the past. This is democracy in action that should be emulated by all public office holders.

  • 2019 elections may be violent, says IPAC

    2019 elections may be violent, says IPAC

    The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has warned that violence may mar the 2019 elections, unless stringent actions are taken by  stakeholders to stem the tide of politically motivated killings.

    It said that steps should be taken immediately to discourage rising political violence in elections in the country.

    IPAC said severe sanctions should be meted out to those who sponsored political violence during the recent legislative rerun in Rivers State.

    Massive violence was reported to have marred the elections. A senior police officer and others were said to have been killed during the election.

    The Chairman of IPAC, Mohammad Nalado, in a statement in Abuja, said the violence that marred the polls was unnecessary.

    He said the political parties that participated in the election had subscribed to a code of conduct containing the guidelines for a peaceful exercise.

    Nalado said the violators of the guidelines should be brought to justice in accordance with the law.

    He said if drastic actions are not meted out to the sponsors of violence, the security of lives and properties in subsequent elections cannot be guaranteed.

    Nadalo recalled how IPAC championed and sustained the campaign for peace in Ondo State before its recent  governorship elections.

    The IPAC boss, who is also the Chairman of the Accord Party, enjoined other stakeholders to support  IPAC’s efforts at ensuring peaceful elections.

    He, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for their commitment, which prevented the escalation of violence in Rivers State.

  • Tight security as IPAC elects new chairman, other executives

    There was heavy security yesterday as the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) elected a new chairman.

    He is Muhammadu Nalado, national chairman Accord Party (AP).

    Nalado takes over from the outgoing chairman, Bashir Ibrahim.

    Nalado emerged in a keenly contested election by 29 political parties in Abuja under the supervision of the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).

    The general secretary is Chief Sam Eke of the Citizens Popular Party (CPP).

    Other elected officials are: Dr. Breakforth Onwubuya, deputy chairman; Abdulmalik Abdullahi, assistant secretary general; Samaila Sifawa, treasurer; Alhaji Saidu Bobboi financial secretary and Chief Ogbuehi Dike publicity secretary.

    The new chairman vowed to follow the principles guiding IPAC in dealing with every matter concerning members and top officials.

    He called for unity among IPAC members and urged them to forget past rancour to move the body forward.

    INEC’s director in charge of election and party monitoring, Bala Shittu, applauded the newly elected members.

    He urged other parties to emulate the peaceful proceedings.

  • Stop Saraki’s trial, say CNPP, IPAC

    Stop Saraki’s trial, say CNPP, IPAC

    The Congress of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Kwara State have joined those demanding the stoppage of the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    They said in statements that the trial was borne out of political vendetta and not a fight against corruption as its initiators wanted the public to believe.

    IPAC’s statement was signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Alhaji Adebayo Lawal and Dave Ifabiyi; while CNPP’s was signed by its Secretary, Prince Olufemi Adeleke.

    IPAC statement reads: “What is happening in the political arena, as far as the Senate presidency is concerned, is nothing short of tyrannical rule.

    “Any democratic dispensation that practises such is nothing short of dictatorship and nepotism.

    “This is an action that any Nigerian, who values the norms of democracy, will not adopt. We should not allow the ‘man’ to die in us.

    “In advanced democracies of the world where the bi-camera legislature is practised, members of the hallowed chambers reserve the right to elect whoever they want to lead them.”

    It urged the CCT to toe the line of sanity and fair play.

    “The Senate president should no longer be compelled to appear before the CCT since he has his team of erudite lawyers representing him.

    “The charges should be reviewed to eliminate areas of witch-hunt, vilification and persecution in view of the fact that the declaration was legally logged over 10 years ago.”

    The CNPP said: “We say no to the continued castigation and victimisation of the person of the Senate president on those trumped-up allegations.”

  • IPAC and Enugu LG elections

    Recently, the Enugu State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the umbrella organization of all the political parties in the country, echoed an important issue that is fundamental to the political stability of the state.

    The organisation, after a critical review of the ongoing reform in the local government system in Enugu State and its inherent benefits towards an efficient and corrupt free administration at the grassroots, made public their stance on the conduct of the local government elections.

    The state chapter of IPAC through a press statement in Enugu signed by its chairman and secretary, Hon. Afam Ani and Barr. Osita Agu, respectively called on the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) not to conduct the local government elections in the state pending the conclusion and outcome of the 11-man Committee on Local Government Staff Audit recently constituted by the state government to review the activities of the local government councils in respect to personnel administration.

    The political parties based their stance on the fact that “the conduct of the local government elections and the constitution of a new local government administration in the state, when the Committee on the Local Government Staff Audit has not concluded its assignment, will be counter-productive to the progress of the local government system, more so when the nation’s economy is currently in a very bad shape.”

    They opined that they “believe that no credible local government elections can be conducted in such a confused atmosphere as obtains today in our local government councils”.

    While reaffirming their commitment to a democratic process that would usher in a new local government administration in Enugu State and guarantee an effective and efficient local government system devoid of corrupt practices or any form of irregularity, IPAC profoundly commended “the brave initiative and timely intervention of the present administration in Enugu State in instituting far reaching reforms in the local government system, through the constitution of an 11-man Committee on Local Government Staff Audit”.

    They expressed their desire to see a reformed local government administration in Enugu State that will place the third tiers of government in its rightful position as the bedrock of participatory democracy for the people at the grassroots to reap the full benefits of government patronages.

    Mindful of this pivotal role of local government administration, the political parties noted that “local government councils are meant to bring government closer to the people for the purpose of transforming their lives” and stressed that “it is therefore imperative that the councils must be put in the proper position to discharge this very crucial responsibility effectively.”

    According to them: “We strongly believe that the exercise will help to check the ghost workers syndrome that has been eating deep into the finances of our local government councils, where faceless individuals are used to siphon funds of the local governments. It will also help in ascertaining the actual number of retirees who are now pensioners and who have not been receiving their entitlements for a long time.

    ”We therefore, state categorically that the ongoing local government verification exercise MUST be concluded before the conduct of the local government elections in Enugu State. Consequently, we call on the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) to take note of our stance on the matter and act accordingly in the overall interest of the state.

    The statement stated: “The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Enugu State chapter commends the Enugu State Government for taking this bold initiative and choosing very credible people as members of the committee that is headed by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, to carry out this all important verification exercise.

    “Finally, we also call on other states of the federation to emulate this wonderful step taken by the Enugu State Government. IPAC Enugu State chapter will continue to stand for transparency, equity, justice and for free, credible and fair elections at all levels of government.”

    From the foregoing, objective and comparative analyses of the issues raised by the political parties demand that there is need to support the local government reform agenda of the present administration in Enugu State.

    It could be recalled that the State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, during the inauguration of the local government reform committee did mention that “the committee’s report will be central to the successful execution of government’s plans to institute far reaching reforms and take requisite measures to standardize and restore sanity to the manner with which staff matters and related issues are handled in our local governments”.

    In his strive to achieve the aim of constituting the committee, the governor mandated the committee, to among other terms of reference, “identify and flush out ghost workers and plug all avenues of leakages and wastages that have hitherto weighed down the finances of local government councils”.

    To further express his seriousness to the reform, the governor stressed that the exercise was “a task that must be tackled promptly, zealously and dispassionately in order to save the system of the local government staff administration in Enugu State from imminent collapse”.

    The above vision, from all indications, was borne out of his determination to instill fiscal discipline, probity, transparency and accountability to ensure the survival of the local government administration in the state.

    IPAC’s stance in this regard, is no doubt commendable and a veritable proof that the government reform policy is an act in a right direction.  It also goes a long way to buttress the importance of such reform in view of the current negative development in the nation’s economy and the need for belt-tightening measures to save cost for developmental issues. This move will surely guarantee expeditious growth in the local government administration.

    As IPAC rightly stated, there no way the state can achieve any meaningful success in the local government system when the entire system is undergoing sanitization.

    From their representation, the organization believes that the fulcrum of the success story of local government system in the state lies in the outcome of the ongoing reform. This is because the local government administration is the nexus between the government and the people at the grassroots.

    It must be placed on record that the view of the political parties does not in any way dissuade the government from conducting the local government elections in the state. Rather, their clamour is for more time to enable government sanitize and restore discipline in local government system for an efficient, productive and disciplined administration that will set a standard for the in-coming government that will emerge after the conclusion of the reform.

    The onus is now for the state electoral body to appreciate the position of the political parties in Enugu State and give it the maximum support it deserves to move the local government administration forward.

    To the public, since the novelty of this time-honoured reform is to save the local government administration in the state from imminent collapse, let’s give it the needed support to thrive in the overall interest of the people.

     

    • Onyebuchi wrote from Enugu
  • Drain pipe

    Drain pipe

    •Demand for 0.5% of budget to fund political parties is outrageous

    A bizarre demand was made by the political parties at a workshop on the “Role and Responsibilities of Political Party Agents on Election Day”, which drew participants from registered political parties in the country, on August 4. The demand was for 0.5 percent of the nation’s annual budget to allow them “function effectively”. Making the demand at the three-day Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in collaboration with the Democratic Governance for Development Project (DGD) the Chairman, Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), Dr. Tanko Yunusa, called on the National Assembly to set aside 0.5 percent of annual budget to fund the registered political parties.

    We know the issue of funding of political parties has always remained contentious, and rightly so. Without doubt, political parties, like most other things in life, require funding to be able to play their role in society effectively. Part of the reasons advanced by proponents of government funding of political parties is to ensure that no party is denied the opportunity of marketing itself on account of its inability to raise funds. Moreover, they believe that funding from government would prevent the situation where money bags would hijack the parties. A third reason, which is no less important, is the fear of some external bodies being the sponsors of political parties in the country. This has its implications for the polity.

    Perhaps these explain why our governments in the past funded the political parties. Indeed, the 1979 Constitution specifically provided for government funding of the political parties. The Babangida administration even went a step further by not only making funds available for the two political parties that it decreed into existence, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC), it also built the party secretariats.

    However, such a position would be difficult to sustain today. Indeed, since the introduction of free largesse for any group of politicians who “formed” political parties, the number of political parties in Nigeria has grown significantly to 50. This has only been pruned to about 26, with some of them operating from barbers’ shops under fake party officials with dubious spread in the country, just to collect party funding after which they fizzle out before elections. Many of them just make noise in the media. It has been such a massive fraud! Those in support of the existence of mushroom parties argue that government funding would enable all viable and unviable parties to propagate their ideas.

    But we are yet to see which ideals have been propagated and how effectively they have performed, with many of these parties usually scoring between zero and a limit of one digit in ward elections and an annoying woeful performance at the local government and state levels. Many of them have not a single candidate either in the state assemblies or National Assembly to justify being called political parties.

    Those who want to float political parties must have been sure of their capability to adequately fund the parties through their members’ contributions because the members must buy into their political parties.

    Happily enough, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refused to fund political parties, whether registered or unregistered. So, let every political party take care of its finances without being a burden to the national purse. It is important to remind those calling for funding of political parties which are only on paper that we already have enough drain pipes in the country, mostly through corruption of various descriptions. Calling for government funding of political parties in order to appropriate funds into private pockets without anything to show in terms of good results at any election is an unwholesome addition to our drain pipes.

    We don’t need more of this criminal wastage of public funds that could have been put to more productive use. What we need to do is monitor the expenses of the political parties to ensure they do not go beyond tolerable limits within the purse of their respective members.

     

  • Ajimobi canvasses decorum, decency among politicians

    Ajimobi canvasses decorum, decency among politicians

    •Gets Alaafin’s support

    OYO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has urged politicians to be decorous and decent in order to ensure a successful election next year.

    Ajimobi spoke while receiving a delegation of the Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), that visited him yesterday at the Government House in Ibadan, the state capital.

    He said since the objective of any party is to promote development and the welfare of the people, there should be no bitterness among politicians.

    Developmental politics, he said, should be the aim of every politician, stressing that good legacy should be the main objective to be pursued.

    Praising the council’s initiative in creating a platform for interaction among parties, Ajimobi urged its members to ensure that such interface is geared towards providing good governance for the people.

    He advised the council to guide against internal wrangling and selfish interest, which are capable of jeopardising its good intention of enthroning a better society.

    “To me, politics should be played without rancour and animosity. There is no need fighting one other. We should be brothers and sisters. Basically, this council is a platform to create an enabling environment for good governance, ensure sustenance of descent democratic practices and cordial relationship to promote  the public interest.

    “We must work towards ensuring that the best always win and so, we must support the best. It is not how long, but the legacy we are leaving behind,” he said.

    Earlier,  IPAC leader, Chief Sam Eke, said the council’s membership is drawn from all parties.

    He said the council was formed not to antagonise any  governor, but to cooperate with the government to move the country forward.

    Meanwhile,the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, has restated his support for Ajimobi’s administration.

    Oba Adeyemi spoke when  a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Seyi Makinde visited him.

    The monarch said his support for Ajimobi is absolute, adding: “It is unthinkable and senseless for anyone to start casting an aspersion and peddling devilish rumours that Alaafin has endorsed another candidate as governor for 2015 in the state because of politician’s visits to the palace since the death of Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao. For proper education to the feeble minds, the palace is open to everybody, including all sons and daughters of the Alaafin across the Yoruba nation and beyond, irrespective of political and religious backgrounds.”

    Alaafin said he enjoys cordial relationship with Ajimobi, adding  he and his subjects would continue to give unflinching support to administration.

    Earlier, Makinde, who said his visit had nothing to do with politics but to sympathise with the monarch, described the late  Arisekola-Alao as a bridge-builder and rallying point whose death would greatly affect Oyo’s political landscape.

    The State Executive Committee of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by its Chairman, Gbenga Opadotun, visited the monarch.

    Opadotun said considering the generosity of the late Arisekola-Alao,  his death might be the “end of philanthropy in Yoruba-land.”

     

     

  • ANSIEC postpones council polls again

    •Party chairmen demand compensation

    •APGA absent at meeting

    For the fourth time this year, the Anambra State Independent Electoral commission (ANSIEC) has postponed the local government election scheduled for December 21. No new date has been fixed.

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was absent at the meeting of the Inter Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) held at the commission’s office yesterday, but other party chairmen were present.

    IPAC was led by Prince Kenneth Emeakayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the deputy chairman was the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) Chief Amechi Obidike.

    The secretary of the group was Mr. Sam Oraegbunam of the Labour Party (LP). Mr. Chuba Ikeagwu of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) was the public relations officer.

    Prince Emeakayi and his colleagues demanded the refund of the campaign and electoral expenses incurred by each party when preparing for the election and the collateral damages.

    The resolutions taken by the parties included: “That the idea to suspend or postpone the December 21 Local Government Election for any reason whatsoever, is unacceptable to the parties in Anambra State”.

    “That we view the screening of our candidates as scheduled by ANSIEC as divisionary and distractive as the commission is not entitled by any law to embark on such an exercise”.

    “That ANSIEC has no power under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) or the relevant electoral laws to reject or disqualify candidates, whose names were submitted to the commission by the parties”.

    “That ANSIEC is reminded that the council poll was originally scheduled for October 5 by the present commission before it was postponed to December 14 and further postponed to December 21 by the commission”.

    “That parties in Anambra State shall deploy legal means to resist any attempt to continue to deny the indigenes the opportunity of local government administration by the elected representatives as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution”.

    ANSIEC Commissioner Mr. Sylvester Okonkwo said the cancellation of the local government election was caused by non-availability of complete voter register.

    He said any other date taken by ANSIEC must be sacrosanct, adding that the scheduled December 12 date was no longer realisable.

    Okonkwo said no electoral body had power to disqualify a candidate, adding that the commission would hold a meeting today to decide when the poll would come up.

    He hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for sending 20 persons to work on the voter register, while ANSIEC, according to him, sent additional 21 electoral officers to assist.

    Parties have urged ANSIEC not to allow APGA to present new candidates for the council poll.

    Speaking on behalf of the chairmen, Emeakayi told ANSIEC members that they had it on good authority that APGA was the cause of the postponements, as the party was still shopping for new candidates when other parties had submitted their lists.

    He said: “We appeal to the commission that parties should be treated equally. What APGA is doing, if it is true, is an aberration. APGA should be restricted to the list of its candidates elected during its primaries in August.

    “Any contrary thing, Mr. Chairman, will not be accepted by other parties. We don’t want to be at daggers drawn with the commission.”

  • INEC, IPAC partner to monitor Anambra election

    The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) said on Thursday that the council would partner with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the Anambra elections.

    National Chairman of the council Alhaji Yinusa Tanko told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the measure was to ensure that the election was transparent, free and fair.

    According to him, the election monitors will write a comprehensive report on their observations and submit to the appropriate authorities for remedies.

    “Our team will be on ground to see how the election is being conducted and look at the preparations of INEC and synergies and to make amends if there are shortcomings.

    “What we intend to do is to set up call contact in Awka in case of event of irregularities,’’ Tanko said.

    He said IPAC would collaborate with INEC and the police to ensure that irregularities were curtailed during the exercise.

    Tanko added that the team would also work with INEC during the election to ensure proper authentication of voters’ cards.

    He said each political party would have volunteers representing it on the monitoring team during the election to ensure that the people’s choice emerged.