IPAC Signs Code Of Conduct For Political Parties

BY GLORIA USMAN, ABUJA – The Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), on Wednesday signed the Code of Conduct binding on all political parties to enhance the inclusion of women, youth and Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWD) in politics.

At the signing ceremony and launch of  IPAC’s Code of Conduct organised in partnership with the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room in Abuja, IPAC National Chairman, Mr Peter Ameh said that the review of the 2018 revised code of conduct for registered parties was due to some lapses noticed which should be given priority to meet global best practice.

Ameh said that some of the inclusions were the introduction of an Audit control unit, to deepen women participation and integration, youth participation with a focal point advisor for the council and Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWD).

He said; “We are the most important stakeholders in the political design of this country so we must take our place in our society and create awareness for aspects of our political arrangements which are flawed.

“We introduced additional portfolios so that we can have executives to deal with salient issues such as the inclusion of women, youths and PWD in our political make-up.

Executives who would pursue programs which would help us set the pace for whatever government is in power to follow.

“As political parties, it is important to set out the rules clearly so that in the future after the present executives are long gone, Nigeria will still have a coordinated IPAC.”

In his remark, the national Chairman, Code of Conduct Review Committee, Dr Emeka Okengwu, said that IPAC has put in place a proper system of disciplines that would enforce the code of conduct.

Okengwu said that the code of conduct would take the issue of women especially with the 35 per cent affirmative action which was listed clearly in the document and provide for a new national gender policy adviser, it provided for a director of people living with disabilities at IPAC.

“There are sanctions, warnings and we have a standing disciplinary committee to handle that and there will also be interrogations, so we are taking it seriously.”

“So, we have a document that does not just bind us as party functionaries but tie our political parties and members to the demands of multi-party democracy while strengthening elections.”

Okengwu said that moving forward, nobody would have the right to make pronouncement or proclamations on behalf of IPAC by adopting a candidate saying that IPAC is not partisan or politically aligned to people because of gifts or bribes.

He also assured that it would help to curb thugery and the roughness that was usually attributed to politicians.

In her remarks, the alternate Chair of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Mrs Esther Uzoma, commended IPAC for drafting the code of conduct to capture the present realities, adding that the code is very important in order to enhance orderliness among political parties and their activities.

According to Uzoma; “It is our believe that a strengthened IPAC is a strengthened democracy, we are not unmindful of the huge responsibility that rest on the shoulder of political parties.”

“IPAC is the foundation of our elections so the code if followed would go a long way to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process and democracy.”

National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Anthonia Simbine the validation of the latest version of IPAC code of conduct is a step in the right direction towards party internal democracy.

Simbine said that the code marked yet another milestone in the developmental growth and consolidation of  IPAC since its establishment.