BY UKET OKA, Calabar
The Inter Party Advisory Council, Cross River State chapter has given the State government up to end of December 2024 to conduct the long awaited local government elections in the State.
The State Chairman of IPAC, Engr. Effiom Edet Okon, gave the ultimatum at a press briefing held at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, Calabar, the State capital, Friday.
Okon said failure of the State government to conduct the local government elections before the end of December would cause IPAC to write to the federal government to withhold allocation to the 18 local government areas of the State.
The IPAC Chairman therefore, called on the State Governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, to expeditiously assent to the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) amended law to enable it commence the process of conducting the local government elections in the State.
He explained that the State House of Assembly recently amended the CROSIEC Law in line with the recent Supreme Court ruling in the country.
“In response to the timely call by IPAC, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, invited the IPAC leadership to make contributions to the amended law which has been sent to the State Governor for assent.
“IPAC therefore, commend the House of Assembly for the swift passage of the bill, stressing that, it demonstrated their commitment to depending democracy in the State.
“In the same vein, IPAC urges the governor, His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, to expeditiously assent to the Bill to enable the conduct of local government election in the State,” Okon stated.
The IPAC Chairman added that, IPAC had paid a courtesy visit to the newly constituted CROSIEC urging the commission to release elections time table without further hesitation.
“IPAC further charges the commission to ensure the conduct of a free, fair, transparent, credible and peaceful local government elections in the State,” Okon said.
He called on political parties in Cross River State as well as the people of the State to be actively involved in the forthcoming elections in order to restore democracy at the grassroots.
Our reporter gathered that Section 23 (3 a and b) of the CROSIEC Law affecting the monetary contribution of Chairmanship candidates was amended by the State House of Assembly.
It was also learnt that, by the new amendment, chairmanship candidates would now pay N5 million as against N10 million to CROSIEC.