The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has advised the National Assembly to initiate the process of expunging the contentious clause 84 (12) in the Electoral Act 2022.

IPAC national chairman Yabagi Yusuf told journalists on Monday in Abuja that the committee supported President Muhammadu Buhari’s reservation that clause 84 (12) of the act negates sections 40 and 42 of the Constitution.

“We share the views of the president on the clause which makes it mandatory for political appointees to resign from their positions before participating as delegates at political party congresses and conventions, or as aspirants to elective offices,” he explained.

He added, “To us in IPAC, this clause runs contrary to the provisions of sections 40 and 42 of the Constitution on the inalienable fundamental rights of every eligible citizen to participate in the electoral processes.”

IPAC, the umbrella body of registered political parties in Nigeria, called on the federal parliament to amend the new act by deleting the contentious clause as a matter of urgency.

“While doing so will be in keeping with the understanding between the National Assembly and the president, the amendment will also be bringing the act in tune with the Constitution,” he argued. “The constitution which categorically stipulates that political office holders are only to vacate their positions or appointments thirty (30) days before the elections.”

While commending Buhari for signing the Amended Electoral Act, the IPAC national chairman described it as a turning point in the nation’s democracy.

He lauded the president for his statesmanship, political will, and commitment to advancing democracy in the country by assenting to the act.

Mr Yusuf said IPAC was not unaware of the tremendous pressure mounted on the president by several interests opposed to the act on the ground that its “the transformative and progressive” provisions would amount to the erosion of their capacity to manipulate the electoral process.

(NAN)