By Asuquo Cletus
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has re-elected its chairman in Cross River State, with the position remaining in the control of the Action Peoples Party (APP), following a peaceful election conducted by the national leadership of the council.
Stakeholders who monitored the exercise described the election as transparent, credible and devoid of rancour.
Speaking after the poll, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Political Affairs in the Office of the Chief of Staff, Dunamis Archibong, said the election formed part of the council’s annual activities in line with the revised IPAC code.
Archibong explained that the exercise was conducted by the national IPAC election committee in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), while the Office of the Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs coordinated the process under the supervision of the Office of the Chief of Staff.
According to him, the exercise was aimed at strengthening peaceful coexistence among political parties in the state.
He noted that political leaders must always place the collective interest of Cross River State above party affiliations, stressing that every political party chairman remains a Cross Riverian first before representing party interests.
Archibong further stated that the emergence of a chairman from outside the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) reflected the fairness and inclusiveness of the process.
He commended the national IPAC delegation from Abuja for conducting the election peacefully and also appreciated the Chief of Staff, the Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs, security agencies and the media for ensuring a smooth exercise.
Also speaking, Barrister Ago Bede Okukwe, National Organising Secretary of the Action Peoples Party and National Legal Adviser of IPAC, described the council as the umbrella body of all political parties registered by INEC in the country.
He said the primary objective of IPAC is to deepen democracy and promote cooperation among political parties across Nigeria.
Okukwe noted that the council’s constitution provides for executive councils in every state, adding that there are plans to extend its structure to the 774 local government areas in the country in order to strengthen grassroots democratic participation.
He described the election as free, fair and credible, adding that although disagreements are common in electoral contests, such issues must always be resolved within the framework of established rules and procedures.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter-Party Affairs, Eden Nkoyo, also commended the peaceful conduct of the election, noting that the exercise was supervised by the national leadership of IPAC led by its chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle.
Nkoyo said the peaceful nature of the poll reflected the political culture of the state and the leadership style of the governor, Bassey Edet Otu, whom she described as a leader committed to unity and peaceful political engagement.
During the closing session, Dantalle congratulated the re-elected chairman of the state chapter and urged the new leadership to remain magnanimous in victory and work with all political parties regardless of differences.
He described IPAC as a family of political parties and advised the leadership to remain tolerant, patient and inclusive in the discharge of its responsibilities.
In his acceptance speech, the re-elected chairman expressed appreciation to the national leadership of the council, INEC, the electoral committee and political party leaders in the state for the confidence reposed in him.
He also thanked the governor and the Chief of Staff, Emmanuel Ironbar, for their support towards strengthening democratic engagement in the state.
The chairman pledged that the new executive would continue to deepen democracy in Cross River by promoting inclusive governance and ensuring that citizens’ voices are heard regardless of political affiliation.
