By John Nwokocha Abuja
Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Monday charged politicians in Ondo state to desist from thuggery, political brigandage and garrison during the October 10, 2020 governorship election.
IPAC, the umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria gave the caution against the reported violence that has characterised the electioneering campaigns in the state
Speaking in a press statement, national chairman of the council, Dr Leonard Nzenwa condemns the violence, warning parties to call their candidates and supporters to order.
The council calls on security agents to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of violence and their sponsors.
While demanding issue-based campaigns, the council calls for free, fair and credible election.
According to IPAC “It is outrageous and a step backward in the progress made in the September Edo State gubernatorial election generally adjudged as free, fair, credible and peaceful”.
Saying that the era of do-or-die politics has gone IPAC stresses that “The lives of Nigerians matter and should not be cut short to gratify the inordinate ambitions of political buccaneers masquerading as democrats”.
The statement discloses that IPAC’s leadership would be in Ondo state this week to further sensitize the people on the forthcoming election and mobilize them to come out en masse to vote for their preferred candidates and ensure their votes are counted and count in the overall result, adding tha this is the beauty of democracy.
“The people’s mandate is sacrosanct, any attempt to thwart it must be resisted by all lovers of constitutional governance in Nigeria. The days of Wide Wide West of electoral robbery and and violence are gone”.
While urging INEC to be neutral and provide a level playing field to all political parties and their candidates and ensure that all electoral materials needed for the poll is ready and in good condition, bearing in mind that the credibility of the Commission as an unbaised umpired is at stake, IPAC challenges all politicians in Ondo to conduct themselves responsibly and be law abiding.
