IPAC boss, Badanga berates groups for alleging electoral malpractices in Kogi LG polls

By Mark Akudu, Kogi

The Kogi state chairman of the Inter party Advisory Council (IPAC), ILyas Badanga has berated some groups who believed that the council election held in the local government areas of the state was marred with electoral malpractices.

Badanga who addressed journalists in Lokoja on Monday, however commended the State Independent Electoral Commission, (KOSIEC) for conducting a transparent, free and fair Local Government election in the State.

According to him: “We are amazed that some political parties that refused to follow the due process of this election by campaigning and sensitising the general public for votes extrapolates that there was no election in Kogi state.

” Some allege that Kogi state government house was used as polling units and collation centers, these allegations are mischievous without any iota of truth because our members that took part in the election were all in the 21 local government areas where results were collated and winners  announced in all respective local governments areas.

“IPAC wants to make it categorically clear to all political parties to address internal crises before any election because we noticed that some political parties went into the election divided, and a house divided against itself can not stand.

Ipac therefore disassociates themselves from the properly so-called youth leaders of political parties that fictitiously assembled themselves in government house in order to defraud the Government of  Kogi State. Those youth leaders are not known to Ipac.

“In view of the shenanigans postulated in the process of this election, IPAC Kogi state chapter is of the view that Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (kosiec) has performed beyond reasonable doubt. We appeal to all the registered political parties to accept the results of the election as announced by the commission” he stated.

Badanga added that political parties under IPAC should henceforth avoid litigations and ventilating grievances, agitations and disagreement in  courts. 

He said “IPAC internal mechanisms, under alternative dispute resolution, are capable of handling all party squabbles no matter whose ox is gored”.

Badanga appealed to the local government elected chairmen to be magnanimous in victory by forming an all inclusive governance where all stakeholders are carried along in respective of our political lining or differences.

The IPAC Chairman in Kogi State, however, lauded Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo  for creating an enabling environment for all political parties, Security agencies, that were on ground for free violence and substantially acceptable local government election in the State.

He admonished all stakeholders to work together for the development of the entire state where ethnicity, religion and sectionalism will never again raise her ugly heads.