Ekiti bye election: IPAC condemns violence, cautions on politics of bitterness

By Christiana Ekpa

The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has expressed shock over the violence that erupted during the Ekiti East Constituency 1 bye-election in which three voters were killed, while a youth corper, a police woman and an independent National Electoral Commission’s staff sustained gunshot wounds.

In a statement issued yesterday by Major Agbo, the National Publicity of IPAC, the council described the violence that erupted in the election which was held on Saturday in Ekiti state, as sadism of the worst order, saying no politician’s election is worth the blood of fellow compatriots.

The statement said “IPAC strongly condemns electoral violence in all its ramifications and urges political parties, their candidates and supporters to respect the sanctity of the ballot box and the people’s right to to choose their representative in the State House of Assembly.

“Election is the beauty of democracy. The will and mandate of the people is sacrosanct. As the umbrella body of the 18 registered political parties, IPAC has been in the vanguard for the conduct of inclusive, free, fair, credible, transparent and peaceful elections in Nigeria”.

The council said the unprecedented violence and killings in the Saturday’s Ekiti East State Constituency 1 bye-election, which forced INEC to suspend the poll is a giant step backward in Nigerians’ efforts in building a strong, virile, stable, united, progressive and equitable democratic nation.

“Council frowns at political violence and warns against a recurrence in the polity. IPAC will not hesitate to sanction any political party that violates its code of conduct for various elections in the country in accordance with INEC guidelines and laws of the land.

“The need for electoral reform and use of electronic voting system in subsequent polls cannot be overemphasized. IPAC has since submitted its proposal for the amendment of the Electoral Act and urge the National Assembly to expedite action on it ahead of November 2021 Anambra State governorship election.

“Council shares the grief of members of the families of these patriotic citizens who came out to discharge their civic duties and pray to God  Almighty to console and strengthen them in this period of bereavements, and speedy recovery to the wounded.

“The days of garrison and do-or-die politics are over. Any attempt by political buccaneers masquerading as democrats to cause political upheavals in the country will be resisted. Council urges security agents to fish out the perpetrators of this violence and bring them to justice”, the statement said.