APC, APGA, 10 others boycott IPAC election in Cross River

Twelve political parties out of fifteen boycotted the election to produce executive committee members of Interparty Advisory Council, IPAC in Cross River State.
The election held at the Independence National Electoral Commission, INEC, office in Calabar on Thursday was conducted by Rev Olusegun Peters, the National Financial Secretary of IPAC.

The aggrieved parties, All Progressives Congress, APC, Fresh Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Advanced Democratic Party, ADP, and others left in protest following the disqualification of Baron Eyo, the Labour Party, LP chairman, who was one of the contestants for the position of Chairman of the council.
However, a seven-member executive committee members was elected.
Sunday Michael of Independent Democrats emerged as the Chairman, Dr Okey Enun of People’s Democratic Party as the Deputy while Patrick Ani of Democratic Alliance became the state Secretary of the organisation.
Speaking, Rev Olusegun Peters, said IPAC is a baby which needs to be nurtured by the political parties to form a constructive structure that will help democracy to grow in the country.

“If we build a strong IPAC, it will bring security to democracy in our country and give a pride of place to us a body of political parties”.
He said IPAC has a code of conduct which mandates it to work with the INEC to ensure free and fair electoral process and compliance to the Electoral Act.
Protesting his disqualification, Baron Eyo of the Labour said that the IPAC team that came to supervise the election changed the list and superimposed another name on his name as the State Chairman of Labour Party.
“We were invited here to elect a new IPAC leadership in the state. We had undergone screening; INEC had done the screening of all the party files and came out with the list of authentic party leaders.

“But when the IPAC team came, they brought a different list from what INEC had, so we are boycotting the election”.