IPAC conducts elections in C’River, stakeholders applaud process

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has conducted its 2026 Cross River State leadership election, with stakeholders describing the exercise as peaceful, transparent and credible.

The election, held in Calabar, brought together representatives of registered political parties in the state to elect new executives to steer the affairs of the council.

Speaking after the exercise, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Political Affairs in the Office of the Chief of Staff, Dunamis Archibong, said the election formed part of IPAC’s annual activities as provided in its revised code.

Archibong explained that the election was conducted by the national IPAC electoral committee in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), while the Office of the Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs coordinated the process under the supervision of the Office of the Chief of Staff.

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He said that the exercise was aimed at strengthening peaceful coexistence among political parties in the state.

He stressed that political actors must recognise that their primary identity is as citizens of Cross River and should therefore prioritise unity, peace and development regardless of party affiliation.

Archibong also noted that the emergence of a chairman from the Action Peoples Party (APP), instead of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), demonstrated fairness and inclusiveness in the electoral process.

He commended the national IPAC delegation from Abuja for conducting the election peacefully and also appreciated the Chief of Staff, the Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs, security agencies and members of the media for their contributions to the successful exercise.

Also, the national organising secretary of the APP and national legal adviser of IPAC, Ago Bede Okukwe, described IPAC as the umbrella body of all political parties registered by INEC in Nigeria.

Okukwe said the council’s primary objective is to deepen democracy and promote collaboration among political parties, adding that plans are underway to extend IPAC structures to local government areas nationwide.

According to him, politics is fundamentally grassroots-driven, and establishing IPAC structures in the country’s 774 local government areas will further strengthen democratic participation.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter-Party Affairs, Eden Nkoyo, also commended the peaceful conduct of the exercise, noting that it was supervised by the national leadership of IPAC led by its chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle.

He also appreciated Governor Otu and the Chief of Staff, Emmanuel Ironbar, for supporting democratic engagement in the state and pledged that the new executive will continue to deepen democracy and promote inclusive governance across the state.