By Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau
The Zamfara State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has suspended its scheduled election following disputes over the eligibility of some political parties and candidates.
The election, which was to hold on Saturday, was halted after disagreements arose during the screening process, with several parties expressing dissatisfaction over their disqualification.
Chairman of the Electoral Committee and National Secretary of IPAC, Dr. Umar Muhammad, said the committee could not clear some candidates due to sanctions affecting their parties’ national leadership.
He explained that court orders and decisions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had impacted the eligibility of certain parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Youth Party (YP), and Labour Party (LP).
Muhammad also noted that the candidacy of a contestant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was contested by other parties, citing issues related to recent defections within the party’s state leadership.
Tensions escalated during the exercise as aggrieved party members and their supporters disrupted the process, leading to physical altercations with members of the electoral committee.
The situation forced the committee to abandon the venue, leaving stakeholders to seek possible resolutions to the crisis.
Addressing journalists, Muhammad officially announced the suspension of the election until further notice, adding that the committee would report developments to the national headquarters before a new date is fixed.
He expressed hope that all concerns would be addressed to ensure a peaceful and inclusive electoral process.
