The Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC) has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the go ahead with collation and subsequent declaration of the last Saturday’s presidential election.
IPAC is the umbrella body of the registered political parties in country who are on the ballot for the presidential election whose result is under contention.
Three political parties; the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), Labour Party ( LP) and the African Democratic Party ( ADC) earlier on Tuesday called for the cancellation presidential polls results over what they described as ‘rape of democracy’.
But, Yabagi Sani, the chairman of IPAC, speaking hours later before the commencement of national collation in Abuja asked INEC to continue with the process as anything short of that spells doom for democracy.
“We are here with most of the members of the council. We are here to express our delight that this process should continue, this is because when democracy fails political parties are the first casualties and the politicians are the biggest losers.
“Democracy is crucial to the people of this country and we believe that the election are the fundamental pillars of our democracy. So the mere fact that we held this election amid the current circumstances we need to congratulate this country.
“We are not been mindful of the challenges in the country, but the commission and political parties experienced some of the unexpected development. From our findings it is not uncommon to experience such in any technology usage.
“We believe that we are at a crossroads but Nigerians are highly resilient. Democracy is a journey and the journey so far we have to congratulate ourselves because Nigeria matters in things globally. We should sum up the courage to conclude this process,” he said.
Yabagi said it is not that IPAC member are happy or they do not understand the pain of the people but in democracy according to the popular maxim ‘the show must go on’.
He said: “Mr. Chairman my members are here to encourage you to go ahead and ensure that the process is concluded and concluded well. Some of our members who have can now do what the constitution made provision for which is to seek redress.
“So we want to say because of this country and the importance of this process to our country of course we have prejudice by the position some of our members must have taken but we will must be on the side of history that this process is concluded and Nigeria becomes greater.
“I want to assure Nigerians that as political parties we are on the same page with them but we must conclude this process and conclude it and do what the law say we can do.”
Also speaking Dan Nwanyanwu, the national chairman/presidential candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) asked INEC to continue with the process as there is no where in the world where there are no problems with election even in the United States.
“Without prejudice to whatever challenges we must not burn down Nigeria. Nigeria must exist first before we can become whatever we become .
“In this election, there were no problem with BVAS until the end of the election and it is the best option to go. I voted and BVAS work. We must remember. We have we the law to review the problem and even reverse them.
“Why we meet today was to talk about our party. We love our country and nobody should tell us to take to the street. There are many gains of this election. Nobody can believe that Lagos can fall to third force.
“Nobody believe that three governors will lose their senatorial seat. A state they govern for eight years. Nobody can believe that a Senator Ekuinife who did everything for his community, nobody believe that an Okada rider is now moving to the house of representatives.
“Party leaders lost their polling unit and state. This is the same election we want to throw baby with the bath water. So go ahead with the process. we confident with the process. Nobody should crucify the INEC chairman,” he said.
In his remarks, Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman said the election will be reviewed where it is absolutely necessary.
“In accordance with the new electoral Act particularly under section 65 of the Electoral Act, we will review the election where it is absolutely necessary,” he said.
