IPAC Issues Warning To INEC Ahead Governorship, State Assembly Elections

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that it will not accept excuses that appear to undermine credible elections.

IPAC National Chairman, Yabagi Sani gave the warning while speaking to reporters at an emergency General Assembly meeting held at the Council’s Secretariat in Abuja.

Sani said Nigerians will not tolerate any excuse for poor performance as witnessed in the failure to upload results from Polling Units to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) in real-time in the February 25 polls.

He stated that the political parties are in support of the rescheduling of the governorship and State Assembly elections from March 11 to 18 by the electoral umpire.

The IPAC chairman said the postponement will give INEC adequate preparation that will guarantee the integrity, credibility, and transparency of the elections.

He said: “Adequate time is needed to ensure things are properly done as the destinies of over 200 million Nigerians are at stake.

“As a major stakeholder in the political process, IPAC has always urged the electoral umpire to ensure it starts early preparation for elections and seek more time, if necessary to ensure it conducts hitch-free, credible, inclusive, and generally acceptable polls as Nigerians will not tolerate any excuse for poor performance as witnessed in the failure to upload results from Polling Units to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) in real-time.”

Speaking further, Sani called on all political stakeholders to provide maximum support to INEC in conducting free, fair, and credible governorship and state assembly elections.

He said: “IPAC urges all stakeholders in the electoral process, to please bear with the Commission as it puts its acts together for the March 18 Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

“With the assurance that BVAS will function properly and results uploaded to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) in real-time, Nigerians and the international community expect free, fair, credible, transparent, inclusive, and peaceful gubernatorial and legislative elections.

“The Commission should this time justify the confidence Nigerians repose in it and improve on its performance in the disputed Presidential and National Assembly polls.”