The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has accused the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) of overreaching its boundaries in its involvement in the controversial Enugu State governorship election.
The group also issued a warning to Kennedy Iyere, an activist from Edo State, that he would be held accountable for any violence in Enugu State.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, Chairman of the IPAC in Enugu State, Edwin Alor, had urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the election winner with the already collated result. IPAC had stated that the Nkanu East result should be accepted by the commission and a winner announced.
However, CUPP Chairman Ogbonna Festus Okafor berated IPAC at a press briefing the following day, accusing them of violating their own code of conduct. Okafor pointed out that the revised IPAC code of conduct clearly stated that the group was neither partisan nor aligned to any political party, and that those who participated in the “infamous press statement in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)” would be subject to appropriate sanctions as provided in the IPAC new rules.
“It is strange that IPAC, which is an embodiment of all political parties, would rush to the media to give an open endorsement to the PDP, in a matter that has LP, APC, APGA, among others as interested parties,” said Okafor.
He went on to say that the INEC had the power to review any result before a winner was announced and that the commission should not yield to undue pressure that would make it announce a result that would make it look foolish in the eyes of the society and the law.
CUPP also used the opportunity to warn Kennedy Iyere to stop his call for violence in Enugu State, stating that he would be held responsible if peace and order were disturbed in the state. Okafor urged the people of Enugu State to be patient and allow for due diligence in all matters pertaining to the election.