The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called on politicians to work towards deepening Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the May 29 first anniversary of the President Bola Tinubu administration.

IPAC national chairman Yusuf Dantalle stated this on Monday in Abuja at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) second regular quarterly consultative meeting with political parties.

Mr Dantalle said May 29 also marks Nigeria’s 25 years of uninterrupted democratic rule.

He said politicians must abide by democratic ideals, ethics and ethos and desist from inflammatory utterances and actions that could impede Nigeria’s constitutional government.

The IPAC chairman urged parties to adhere to their constitutions while conducting their congresses and conventions. 

“The high expression of interest and nomination fees charged by some political parties should be reviewed despite being internal affairs of the parties,” said Mr Dantalle.

He pledged that IPAC would continue to engage party leaders on the need to obey the constitution and review the nomination form fees.

“Accordingly, leaders of political parties must live by example in deepening democracy by ensuring an environment conducive to successful elections, political stability and a peaceful electoral process in Nigeria,” he added.

Mr Dantalle appealed to the National Assembly to restore annual grants to political parties to prevent opposition parties from dying.

He said the council had set up a Constitution and Electoral Act Amendments Committee to recommend aspects of the laws that needed to be reviewed for presentation to the National Assembly for consideration.

The IPAC boss also said local government autonomy was essential for the survival of democracy in Nigeria.

“Frequent cross-carpeting by national and state legislators is inimical to sustainable democracy; it is the remote cause of crises in political parties and state houses of assembly, particularly when legislators decamp with impunity without cogent reasons. This must stop.

“The rate of electoral offences is alarming. It builds distrust and questions the integrity of elections. Offenders must be duly punished to serve as deterrence to others,’’ he said.

Mr Dantalle said all eyes were on INEC to conduct a free, fair, credible, acceptable and inclusive election in the Edo and Ondo State governorship.

“With adequate preparation, functional BVAS and the capacity to upload results in real-time on INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portals, Nigerians will once again have confidence in the electoral system, where every vote will be counted and counted in the overall result,’’ he said.

(NAN)