Ekiti IPAC lauds INEC on Sheriff/Makarfi feud

The Ekiti State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), has praised  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the way it settled the logjam created by the candidature of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu , as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) during the Edo Governorship poll.

It  also lauded the commission for   maintaining substantial neutrality in  the poll, urging the commission to replicate the same feat in the November 26 governorship poll in Ondo State.

The Ali Modu Sheriff  and Ahmed Markafi groups presented two different candidates for the election, which the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Godwin Obaseki had won,  but INEC discretionally  recognised Ize-Iyamu, who was nominated by Markafi group.

Speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, the IPAC Chairman in Ekiti, Dr Dele Ekunola, said INEC did the country proud by conducting a credible election that complied substantially with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

On the crisis rocking the state chapter  of the party, which polarised the body into two, Ekunola clarified that  the feuding groups had fused into one after reconciliation, which he said led to the election of new executives recently in the state.

Those elected were: Dr Ekunola as Chairman, Hon Ilesanmi Omolayo (Vice Chairman),  mallam Jimoh Saheed (Secretary), Fred Iyaniwura (Publicity Secretary), Chief Moses Awogbemi (Financial Secretary), Rufus Alabi (Treasurer) and Ileanmi Josiah (Assistant Secretary).

Ekunola particularly expressed satisfaction with INEC’s disposition to neutrality, which he said made the opposition PDP to be able to give the ruling party, APC ,  a run for its money in the highly pulsating and keenly contested election.

“When the election was postponed from September 10 to October 28, I felt the INEC only postponed the evil day. But it gladdens my heart that nobody died during the election. No bloodshed, no arson attack and even the protest that was held by the PDP against the election were peaceful.

“INEC even settled the PDP confusing candidature with ease. We all the existing political parties in the state are pleased with INEC neutrality.

“All these showed that democracy has taken a deep root in Nigeria and we appeal to INEC to repeat the same feat in Ondo State.”