By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) yesterday elected a seven man new executive committee members to pilot the affairs of the party in the next two years, with the chairman of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Yabagi Yusuf Sani, emerging as the new chairman, while Barrister Maxwell Mgbudem of Accord (A), emerging as new Deputy National Chairman.
Yusuf Sani defeated the incumbent Chairman, Leonard Nzenwa, who is the national Chairman of African Action Congress (AAC), with ten votes against seven, after a tension soaked and keenly contested election, in which security operatives flooded the Council’s National Secretariat in Garki Area of Abuja.
Also, Maxwell Mgbudem of Accord defeated his rival, Acho Chinyere, with ten votes against seven, to emerge as the IPAC National Vice Chairman, just as Yusuf Dantalle, who is the national Chairman of Allied Peoples Movement (APM), defeated his rival, Adekunle Omoaje of Action Alliance (AA), with eleven votes against six, to emerge as National Secretary of IPAC.
Also, Julius Abure, defeated his rival to the office of IPAC National Legal Adviser, Obed Agwu, with nine votes against eight in a rerun, after there was a tie initially, just as Mathins Olawale, defeated his rival, Aisha Dankali, with nine votes against eight to emerge as the National Organising Secretary of IPAC.
Meanwhile, Agbo Major of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) was returned unopposed as the IPAC National Publicity Secretary.
Fielding questions from journàlists after the election, Yabagi Yusuf Sani said his tenure will work to ensure that IPAC is lifted to an enviable height for all political parties to want to identify with it.
He said in his tenure, he will engage with Chairmen of all political parties to ensure that internal party democracy is entrenched in political parties, just as he said IPAC will work to move Nigeria democracy forward.
Speaking further, he said IPAC would be run as a foundation of Nigeria democracy, adding that it will engage with all arms of government, including the executive, the legislature and the judiciary on deepening Nigeria democracy. He also said the council will engage with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), international community, with regards to finding and building capacity of political parties.
Similarly, the new Deputy National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, in his remarks, said his victory is an opportunity to serve and give back to the society his wealth of experience in politics and business world, adding that the new leadership will work hard to ensure that political parties are strengthened to take the right position in the country.
He passed vote of confidence on the new executive committee members, saying they are people who are tested and trusted, pointing out that they are already consulting on how to move IPAC forward, by identifying reforms that will improve political parties, including the code of conduct of political parties.
In his own remarks, former Chairman of IPAC, Mohammad Lawal Nalado, urged IPAC to build good relationship with stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and International Organisations, saying such synergy will advance the course of democracy across Nigeria.
Speaking further, Nalado recalled that during his tenure, he contributed a lot in building IPAC to become what it is today, hence it is his duty to protect the Council towards contributing in growing Nigeria’s democracy. He also said the new IPAC leadership will give a sense of direction to the Council and political parties.
He expressed confidence that political stakeholders who had deserted IPAC will now have confidence to come back and work with them for political development of Nigeria. He also charged the new executive to be innovative, by intruding new ideas that will assist the growth of political parties.
He said during his tenure, stakeholders were coming from all over the world to support IPAC and create capacity building programmes for political parties. He regretted that shortly after his tenure, these programmes stopped. He therefore charged the new executive to do more in this regard.
