C’River IPAC Calls On Otu To Assent To CROSIEC Bill Immediately

From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

The leadership of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Cross River State council has called on the state Governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu to expeditiously assent to the cross river state independent electoral Commission( CROSIEC) bill that was recently passed by the State House of Assembly

The Council made the call in Calabar weekend when the leadership met with journalists to express their displeasure on the delay by the Governor to assent to the CROSIEC bill that was passed by the State House of Assembly for the conduct of local government elections in the State

In their written address which was read by the State Chairman of IPAC, Engineer Effiom Edet, the Council demands that the Governor conduct the local government elections before the end of December, 2024

It was also stated that failure to conduct the election promptly, the Council in line with the ruling of the supreme court on local government autonomy will not hesitate to ask the Federal Government to stop sending allocation to the 18 local government areas in the State

The Council said that they have confidence in the commission as well urges them to release the election time table without any further delay, and charges them to ensure that they conduct free, fair, transparent, credible and peaceful local government elections in the State

Meanwhile, IPAC has commended the House of Assembly for the swift passage of the CROSIEC bill, stressing that this has demonstrated their commitment to deepening democracy in the State.