IPAC notifies the judiciary to recover the mandates that were stolen.

The judiciary has been urged by the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to ensure that stolen votes from the recently completed general election are recovered.

In addition, it vowed to thwart any attempts made by an individual or group to thwart the people’s freely given approval of any political party and its candidate, and it urged everyone involved in the electoral process to respect the will of the people because they are the ones who actually possess sovereignty.

Yabaji Sani, the chairman of IPAC, addressed the media yesterday in Abuja and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stand up and take its constitutional duties seriously to avoid avoidable hiccups with its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which called into question its ability to conduct elections and to authenticate results announced.

“IPAC asks the judiciary to be firm and maintain the rule of law in ruling on the numerous election petitions before it as the last resort for all harmed citizens, mindful that time is of the essence and that justice delayed is justice denied,” he said. To preserve the integrity of the voting process, all stolen mandates must be found.

“IPAC urges participants in the electoral process to respect the decision of the people as sovereignty lies in them and will rebuff any attempt to undermine the people’s freely granted mandate to any political party and its candidate.

“That is the only way we can work together to strengthen the nation’s arduous democracy. In order to avoid the avoidable problems and hiccups with its BVAS and INEC IReV that called into question its readiness to conduct the elections and the veracity of the results announced, particularly in the presidential and National Assembly elections, the Council charges INEC to sit up and take its constitutional duty seriously.

“Council demands a review of the procedure for choosing INEC resident electoral commissioners to ensure that only qualified and patriotic Nigerians lead the commission’s state offices throughout the country, as some of the difficulties encountered during the elections, particularly the use of BVAS and IReV portals, were more due to human error than to technical failure. “Most importantly, the commission must be open and maintain its impartiality and integrity as the electoral umpire. It must also carry out its duties without fear or favor because it will be held accountable for the success or failure of the elections it presided over. IPAC applauds Nigerians for their enthusiastic involvement in the general election of 2023, which will be the seventh after democracy was restored in 1999. The foundation of constitutional law is the people’s right to choose their leaders. The ballot is sacred and must accurately reflect the preferences and mandate of the electorate in a peaceful, inclusive, free, credible, and transparent election.

Also, he strongly denounced the “violence, deaths, arson, kidnapping of election officials, intimidation, and suppression of voters” that marked the general election of 2023.

They must immediately stop because they are ridiculous, abhorrent, and unacceptable in the effort to establish a lasting democracy in Nigeria. Vote buying and ballot box and paper snatching continue to be the nation’s electoral system’s worst enemies.

“Immediate prosecution of electoral violators and their backers to act as a deterrent to those who wish to thwart the decision of the people. That is the only way to clean up the nation’s voting procedures and processes and guarantee that the voters’ votes are counted. In contrast to the record-breaking voter indifference seen in the general election of 2023, it will also encourage voters to participate in future elections.

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“IPAC calls on INEC to get organized, get ready for the off-season gubernatorial elections, and make sure that further elections in the nation adhere to international norms.”

Every time the commission conducts a faulty election, the integrity of the commission is in jeopardy.

The expectations of Nigerians are great, and we must live up to them if we’re going to work together to create a strong, united, progressive, and democratic country.

“Council commends the nation’s youths, particularly those in their 20s, who utilized the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Act to run for and win state and federal legislative seats. The democracy’s beauty lies in this.

“Council will continue to strengthen our democracy, ensuring that Nigeria has a climate that is favorable for free and fair elections.”