By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has vowed to lead the charge in overhauling Nigeria’s electoral system and strengthening democracy in 2025.

In its New Year message, the umbrella body for all registered political parties expressed its commitment to pursuing electoral reforms and improving governance across the nation.

The Council emphasized the importance of ensuring free, fair, and credible elections, as well as addressing critical flaws in the country’s political processes.

The statement signed by Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, National Chairman of IPAC, highlighted the organization’s plan to collaborate with the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators (CIFCFIN) to vet candidates’ credentials rigorously.

The Council also emphasized the necessity of empowering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct all elections, eliminating the role of the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), which it described as ineffective and often influenced by governors.

IPAC called on Nigerians to remain proactive, prayerful, and vigilant in ensuring their leaders fulfill their duties, as part of the ongoing effort to deepen Nigeria’s democracy. It further reaffirmed its commitment to promoting good governance and pushing for constitutional and electoral reforms.

Dantalle stated, “We are grateful to God for His mercies, protection and care which have reinforced our hope and faith in consolidating our democracy and building a strong, united, stable, progressive, equitable, prosperous and just society in 2025.

“Nigerians are indeed a resilient, resourceful and enterprising people who have made enormous sacrifices since Independence in 1960 in the onerous task of building a better nation. Their abiding faith in the fatherland and prospect for a brighter future should not be taken for granted by elected public officers bearing in mind that sovereignty resides in the people.

“The challenges ahead are enormous, so are the opportunities if we keep watering and nurturing the democracy tree to maturity to yield its fruits to citizens.

“Since nation building is a collective responsibility, IPAC urges Nigerians to be prayerful, proactive on issues affecting them and hold leaders accountable as the price for freedom and prosperity is eternal vigilance.

“IPAC will continue to lead from the front to ensure good governance and well-being of the people. Council will vigorously pursue its Peer Review Mechanism set up to evaluate the milestones achieved by governors in the implementation of the sustainable development goals in the states, the legislators on effective, vibrant and robust representations, oversight functions and law making, as well as monitor progress of the recent financial autonomy granted to the 774 Local Governments in the country as the government closest to the people.

“Council was at the vanguard for financial autonomy to the third tier of government as it is for the scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) that conduct local government polls which turn out to be charades and mockery of the nation’s electoral process as various SIECs have become rubber stamps of the governors who appointed them; and demands that INEC be empowered to conduct all elections in Nigeria as it has the capacity to do so.

“IPAC’s comprehensive proposal for the ongoing Constitution and Electoral Act Amendments has since been submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and inclusion.

“Council will also intensify its roundtable series where crucial national issues are identified, assemble competent resource persons and stakeholders to chart the way forward that will deepen our democracy.

“To eliminate the fielding of candidates with questionable credentials for elections, IPAC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators (CIFCFIN). This ensures that every document, credential, and piece of information associated with candidates is rigorously examined for authenticity and accuracy to prevent undue disqualification of candidates who won elections with fraudulent credentials by the court. This will further sanitise and strengthen the nation’s electoral process. Council will implement it in 2025 as it continues to champion free, fair, credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections.

*All hands must be on deck as we jointly rebuild trust in our democratic process by fighting corruption, ensuring political stability, credible elections, independent judiciary, vibrant economy, food security, gainful employment, living wage, social cohesion, religious harmony, quality education, healthcare, efficient power supply, adequate security and social amenities.

“When governments at all levels discharge their responsibilities to citizens, the economy will bounce back, Nigeria will regain its top place in the comity of nations. This is a task that must be done in 2025.

“It is a new dawn, a new chapter in nation building is opened before us with boundless possibilities. With God on our side, Nigerians will again be the happiest people on earth.”