IPAC wants no delay in conduct of Lagos LG polls

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos State has advised Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to set machinery in motion for the conduct local government elections, with the tenure of incumbent elected officials expiring in July.

The state IPAC Chairman, Mr James Adeshina, told newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos that organising the elections in good time would help to deepen democracy.

Adeshina was reacting to insinuations that the state would not conduct council elections in 2021 since there was no provision for such exercise in 2021 budget of the state.

He said that IPAC members would not support appointment of sole administrators or caretaker committee to run the country.

Adeshina, also the Lagos State Chairman of African Action Congress (AAC), said: “We are aware that the tenure of these outgoing chairmen of local governments is going to expire by July.

“So, if there will be an election, what the law says is that there must be a 90-day notification and preparations by LASIEC ( Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission) before an election can hold.

“We are still waiting for the office of the Governor to respond and brief IPAC on the preparations for the upcoming election.

“In the capacity of IPAC, we have written about two letters requesting to hear from the Governor on the upcoming election but we are yet to get any feedback whatsoever.”

He urged the governor to encourage an inclusive government, saying there was the need for the election to hold.

“What some of the members of IPAC are saying is that they do not want imposition of caretaker committee to run the councils at the expiration of the tenure of the incumbents who have been in power since 2017.

“They want to participate in the grassroots election and have their candidates represented in the governance of Lagos State.

“We are not going to support appointment of sole administrators or caretaker committee. IPAC members want the election to hold,” Adeshina said.

He urged the governor to deepen democracy by allowing the election to hold as and when due in a free and fair atmosphere to encourage other political parties.

The IPAC chief said that any situation to entrench a one party system would not be good in a democracy.

He, however, said that the LASIEC had given the IPAC an assurance during a meeting that it was prepared for the polls.