INTER-PARTY ADVISORY COUNCIL IS CONSTITUTED IN AKWA IBOM STATE AS HON PAUL EKPO FINALLY EMERGED AS IPAC STATE CHAIRPERSON The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in conjunction with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) National Executives Members today visited the state and set up a seven-man committee to promote dialogue among political parties in Akwa Ibom State. The Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, set up by the Independent National Electoral Commission, is to bring cohesion among the different political parties who has finally today agreed on consensus to elects members of the state executives committees of IPAC and constituted the State Executive Committees of IPAC lead by Hon Paul Ekpo of People Democratic Party. In his speech, Hon. Paul Ekpo hope that with this IPAC election result in the state, we now can be able to move IPAC forward and have proper discussions as political parties in the state and then look at the other outstanding matters of the code of conduct and the elections of some other positions. We wish to thank you for cooperating with INEC and hope that our relationship will continue, he said. As Hon Paul Ekpo emerged through consensus Paul Ekpo pledged to carry every IPAC member along while working for the good of the association. Therefore after crisis of interim IPAC Executive Committees in the State which other political parties raised an issue of Marginalization; by the ruling party; today Friday 19th September, 2014 is concluded. The INEC Management in Akwa Ibom State join hands with National Executive of IPAC to conducted the election into seven men IPAC State Executive Committee; most to aid monitors parties which disobey regulations of the political parties’ code of conduct governing campaigns for elections and libellous advertisements. The National Executive Members of IPAC lead by Dr. Yinusa Tanko, and who is also Chairman of National Conscience Party, disclosed that 21 out of 26 registered political parties in the state that participated in the election being supervised by others National Executive Committees of IPAC and top INEC State Officials should ensure IPAC in the state aid to control and enforce regulation of electoral rules with 2015 and IPAC in the State should take a stand and ensure libellous campaigns are followed. In summary he called on political party’s leaders and politicians to be sincere by fulfilling their electoral promises proving that as IPAC is evolving in the State, the State IPAC Executive Council must operate Inter Party Advisory Council transparently and cooperatively seek the view that concern all the political parties which will continue to build the spirit of Nigerian political party’s leaders and must aid parties to achieve success in whatever political parties go after most with 2015 general election. He then advised political party’s leaders that wherever you are, if you work faithfully and diligently and in all fairness, you will be recognized. This is a landmark achievement that National IPAC Executive Committees were mandated as the national body of IPAC to inaugurate the council in all the states ahead of the 2015 elections and IPAC was approved by the electoral laws. As Nigeria is in another phase of democracy; we are not a tool for torment or abuse to the government rather we advise and proffer solution to the government in power,” Dr. Yinusa Tanko said. He said that the council executives in the state would later set up similar committees at the ward and local government levels. The political context of the dialogue is that since 1999, Nigeria has enjoyed a long period of political stability that enabled the nation to create new liberal democratic constitutional order based on multi-party democracy. The foundational underpinning of the new political order is which is enshrined in the (1999) Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that has institutionalized democratic competition for political power. The constitution has fully enshrined the right to political activity and provided the framework and guidelines for the free operation of political parties. Citizens Tipster Reporter in Uyo who interviewed CPP State Chairmen Prince Sunday Akpan after the IPAC State Election said CPP is building stronger partnerships with major state bodies such as the State Government, Independent National Electoral Commission and civil society organizations since political parties will need to pay more attention in dialogue efforts to establishing stronger partnerships with the Independent National Electoral Commission and Civic Society Groups. This would guarantee understanding and support for dialogue activities of political parties and provide a conducive atmosphere for multi-party democracy as well ensure gender Sensitivity since party leadership in Nigeria is male dominant, inter-party dialogue activities also invariably reflect this gender bias. Parties are acutely conscious of this major shortcoming and are determined to find solutions. Currently, Citizens Popular Party in the state is ready to work on its aims and objectives most to engage the government of the day to conduct credible election and will ensure the start their campaign within the time frame stipulated by law which is 90 days before election. CPP will make sure that all our in-house members will have to do the right thing before INEC will have to teach us what we have to do and we are ready to continue to put our political skill in the limelight so that everybody will be happy for us. There is a particular committee that also has been set up to deal with all of these within the Code of Conduct. So everybody that tries to contravene this aspect of the law will be referred to the appropriate committee with a view to recommending necessary sanctions and punishments because we are not an organization that cannot bite. We are committed to making sure that the right thing is done,” Prince Sunday Akpan State Chairman said. IPAC is an association of all the registered 26 political parties in Nigeria, which also serves an advisory body to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In the past, IPAC had made reference to all of the issues which are already being raised by all the political parties. CPP State Executive believe that Hon. Paul Ekpo emerging as the State IPAC Chairman which we hope will effectively enforce inter party dialogue in the state to be founded on the felt need among the parties to open and maintain the channels of dialogue. Have total ownership of the Inter-party dialogue, its rules and procedures, by the parties which should be the corner stone of all political dialogue. Bring in impartial, if not neutral, facilitator of dialogue acceptable to all parties is an essential prerequisite and provision for an international collaborator that brings to bear on the dialogue other countries’ experiences and financial resources is an indispensable asset, then recognition of individual party strengths and weaknesses and helping parties enhance strengths and overcome weaknesses is a vital toolkit which is the cause of internal party conflicts that should interest IPAC to the facilitator but should not give cause for intervention and interference by facilitator but among political parties in the state. The issue of the need for cooperation among parties, is now argue to takes place among parties – and the dialogue and cooperation between political parties is a sine qua non for the sustainability of peace before, during and after elections, so a suggestion was made that there should be annual social events or informal meetings between parties to continue such dialogue and cooperation. SOURCE: CITIZENS TIPSTER
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 00:47:56 +0000
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