The chairman of Labour Party in Cross River State, Ambassador Ogar Osim has been elected new chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
The election took place Friday 14 January 2022 and held at the INEC Headquarters Calabar and had 13 out of 18 political parties accredited to vote for their choice of candidates.
There were only two candidates who contested for the chairmanship, namely Ogar Osim and the incumbent, Anthony Bissong who is chairman of Young Progressives Party (YPP) Ain the state.
Osim got 8 votes out of the 13 parties that were certified to vote and therefore beat Bissong.
Bissong reportedly protested his loss and claimed that the processes for the election were not thorough, insisting that it appeared that the team from Abuja had interest.
But the National legal adviser of IPAC, Barrister Julius Abure who presided as chairman of election committee from Abuja said the entire processes were very thorough and transparent.
He said they had to reschedul the time for overall convenience of all stakeholders, including INEC and security officials.
“The election was conducted peacefully and satisfactorily. But if there anyone aggrieved they are free to utilise all legal processes to challenge. Ogar Osim and his exco were freely and peacefully elected.”
Abure said IPAC is one indivisible entity and called on the new exco to work together with the National and State Officers. He cautioned that there should be no cause for crisis,
One time chairman of IPAC in the state and now special adviser to state governor on Inter-Party affairs, Sunday Michael said they will work with the new exco.
He denied that Government had any interest in the election, explaining that INEC had the authentic list of participating parties which was used for the election which reason some of the candidates were jolted.
The newly elected chairman of IPAC, Ambassador Ogar Osim assured that his executive will ensure that the general election of 2023 will be free of bloodletting.
“Apart from looking at establishing a functional Secretariat, we will majorly engage all the active political parties in the state, so that we will have a very peaceful, free and fair general election next year.
“We want to ensure that violence is not allowed and that nobody’s blood will be spilled as a result of the election.”
Osim said ‘servant leadership and teamwork’ shall be the hallmark of his leadership at IPAC.
He disagreed that his election was rancorous.
