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From Shafaatu Suleiman, Sokoto
A fresh political storm is brewing in Sokoto State following the rejection of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) election by a coalition of five political parties, which has accused organisers of manipulating the process and violating electoral guidelines.
The coalition — comprising the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Labour Party (LP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) — described the 2 April poll as deeply flawed and lacking credibility.
In a communiqué signed on April 3 and made available to the press, the parties said the exercise, held at the INEC Conference Hall in Sokoto, was riddled with irregularities that undermined democratic standards.
“The entire process was marred by clear violations of IPAC’s constitutional provisions and electoral guidelines,” the coalition said.
“We reject the outcome in its entirety.”
At the heart of the dispute is the alleged disqualification of key aspirants, including ADC State Chairman, Alhaji Isyaku Bello Keegan, and LP State Chairman, Comrade Abubakar Yawale.
Yawale, who also signed the communiqué, did not mince words, describing the move as unjust and politically motivated.
“We fulfilled all requirements, including valid nominations from our national headquarters, yet we were arbitrarily disqualified,” he said.
“This is not just unfair — it is a deliberate attempt to subvert due process.”
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The coalition also raised alarm over what it described as the “illegal substitution” of candidates and accredited delegates, claiming that individuals without proper authorisation were allowed to participate in the election.
“Duly recognised candidates and voters were sidelined and replaced with unauthorised persons,” the statement noted.
“This compromises the integrity of the entire exercise.”
In a petition addressed to the National Chairman of IPAC, Dr Yusuf Dantalle, the aggrieved parties demanded an immediate probe into the conduct of the election, warning that the credibility of the council is at stake.
“We call for the nullification of the election and the conduct of a fresh, transparent and credible process in line with IPAC guidelines,” the petition stated.
The coalition further urged the IPAC leadership and relevant authorities to act swiftly to address their concerns.
“If urgent corrective steps are not taken, it could erode trust in IPAC and weaken the democratic values it is meant to uphold,” the parties warned.
Copies of the petition were also forwarded to INEC and security agencies in the state.
Efforts to get a response from IPAC officials were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
