The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) election in Sokoto State has been rejected by a coalition of five political parties, which has called for the process to be cancelled. The coalition, made up of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Labour Party (LP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), accused IPAC organisers of breaching established electoral guidelines. Party leaders alleged that the election was manipulated, citing irregularities including the exclusion of accredited party representatives from key meetings and the unilateral appointment of officials. A joint statement issued on Tuesday condemned the process as neither transparent nor inclusive. "The outcome of the election does not reflect the collective will of member parties," the statement read. The controversy comes ahead of the 2027 general elections, for which IPAC is expected to play a mediating and advisory role among political parties in the state.
Five parties in Sokoto, including the PDP and LP, have collectively rejected the IPAC election, saying it was manipulated. Their joint statement undermines the credibility of an institution meant to foster unity and fairness among political parties. If IPAC's internal process is seen as flawed, its ability to mediate disputes ahead of 2027 is already in question. For Nigerian voters, this signals that even electoral support bodies are not immune to power plays.
