By Jude Opara, Abuja
The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders to ensure that they use to upcoming September 21 governorship election in Edo state to restore confidence in the electoral process.
IPAC Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle gave the advice on Thursday in Abuja during the emergency meeting between INEC and leaders of all the registered political parties in the country.
Delivering his speech titled; Edo and Ondo States Governorship Elections: This is Our Chance to Restore Confidence in the Electoral Process and Deepen Democracy in Nigeria, Dantalle said democracy has come to stay in Nigeria and that every stakeholder must join hands to ensure its survival and growth.
He noted that what makes democracy beautiful is the periodic elections which he said is the only reasonable way of selecting leaders in a nation.
“Democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. Periodic election is the beauty of constitutional governance as power resides in the people.
“The Edo State governorship election is 22 days away. On Saturday 21st September 2024, citizens will troop out en masse to vote for candidates of their choice who will pilot the affairs of the state in the next four years.
“As leaders of political parties, this is our chance to restore confidence in the electoral process by ensuring the sanctity of the ballot box, and respect the mandate of the people. After 25 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, we must get it right this time.
“The Edo State gubernatorial polls will be a litmus test for the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for Saturday 16th November 2024, which in turn gives direction to future elections in the country”.
The IPAC boss also admonished all the stakeholders including political parties and their candidates, security agencies to have one objective of having a free, fair and credible election.
“There is no place for politics of bitterness and violence that has impeded the nation’s hard earned democracy. It is time to change the narrative. It is time for patriotism. It is time to strengthen, deepen and advance our democracy. It is a collective task in the quest for a strong, united, progressive, prosperous, equitable and just democratic society.
“IPAC will collaborate with other stakeholders including INEC – the electoral umpire, security agencies, election observers and the media to ensure that all votes are counted and reflect the wish of the electorate”.
Dantalle added that the success of the election will drastically reduce post-election litigations and reinforce trust and confidence in the electoral process, thus, bolster voter turnout and also save the judiciary from undue intervention and interference in the declaration of the winner of an election.
He further charged politicians to always live and lead by example, insisting that it’s obvious that the failure to comply with parties’ constitutions is the remote cause of crises, leadership disagreements, factionalizations and litigations that have retarded the development of party politics in Nigeria.
