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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has charged the new leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use next month’s off-cycle Anambra State governorship election as its litmus test for future elections, urging the commission to rebuild trust in the electoral process and encourage mass participation in future polls.
IPAC’s National Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, gave the charge in his remarks at INEC’s quarterly consultative meeting with the leaders of political parties presided over by the interim chairman, May Agbamuche-Mbu, at the commission’s national headquarters in Abuja, yesterday.
The Council maintained that the success of next month’s off-cycle election will set the stage for the forthcoming elections next year, comprising the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council polls, off-cycle Osun and Ekiti States governorship elections, and ultimately the decisive 2027 general elections.
Dantalle emphasised that IPAC will render any support to consolidate Nigeria’s democracy, promising to provide an environment conducive for the conduct of successful elections, political stability, and the overall well-being of Nigerians.
He said, “Nigerians expect credible, transparent and inclusive elections where every vote is counted and counts in the overall result. The litmus test of the new leadership is the conduct of the November 8, 2025, Anambra governorship election.”
“The success of this off-cycle election will set the stage for the upcoming elections in 2026, including the Federal Capital Territory Area Council polls, Osun and Ekiti States gubernatorial elections, and the decisive 2027 general election. INEC should put its acts together and get it right.
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“With new leadership, citizens’ expectations are high, very high. The commission should justify the confidence the nation reposed in it. This is the only way to rebuild trust in the electoral process and encourage mass participation in future polls.
“As the umbrella body of all registered political parties, be assured of IPAC’s support in consolidating our democracy, ensuring an environment conducive for the conduct of successful elections, political stability, and the overall well-being of Nigerians.
We are all in it together to build a better, greater, inclusive, prosperous, and just democratic society,” he assured.
IPAC equally assures the new leadership of the commission of “collaborating to deepen democracy in the country as it did during the tenure of Mahmood Yakubu, who implemented several reforms and carried leaders of political parties along.”
“No doubt that synergy will continue with the new leadership, though in acting capacity, as democratic governance is a continuum. We must continue to sanitise the nation’s democratic system to meet the yearnings of citizens who desire and deserve dividends of constitutional rule, not rhetoric.
“After 26 years of unbroken democracy, we should get it right. The ongoing Constitution and Electoral Act amendments provide yet another opportunity to advance our democracy,” Dantalle stressed.
