The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has announced its decision to boycott the local government elections scheduled for September 21 in Imo State.
IPAC’s state chairman, Ichie Levi Ekeh, criticized the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) for failing to adhere to the election guidelines, claiming that the commission has not published candidate and voter lists, nor provided necessary forms in time.
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Ekeh, who also leads the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in the state, expressed frustration with ISIEC’s handling of candidate registration and the imposition of non-refundable fees.
He alleged that candidates were charged N200,000 for chairmanship positions and N51,000 for councillorship positions without proper communication with the political parties.
In response, Chief Charles Ejiogu, ISIEC Chairman, countered IPAC’s allegations, asserting that the commission has followed all guidelines and is well-prepared for the election.
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Ejiogu defended the fee structure and stated that training for electoral staff is on track, with 15,000 ad hoc workers set to support the election across 305 wards and 4,758 polling units.
IPAC’s boycott reflects ongoing concerns about fairness and transparency in the electoral process.
