IPAC seeks support toward enhancing Nigeria’s political parties

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called for more support from development partners toward building the capacities of political parties in the country.

IPAC National Chairman, Sani Yabagi said this when the council held meetings different development partners in Abuja.

The development partners included the Chinese Embassy, the International Republican Institute, and the National Planning Commission.

Yabagi said that IPAC as an umbrella body of political parties was committed to promoting good governance and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria.

He said that Nigeria had not achieved much in terms of SDGs, in spite of numerous government efforts.
Yabagi said that Nigeria cannot tackle poverty, hunger and gender inequalities without being committed to the achievement of SDGs.

He said that IPAC plans to monitor the progress of the 36 governors-elect on achievement on SDGs through the Peer Review Mechanism (PRM).

He said the mechanism would help to ensure that the governors were held accountable for their actions.
“The only way we can make our governor to perform is to interact with them and get them to buy into the SDG goals.

“We are also trying to see how we can make that tier of government to become more people-oriented, by way of delivering on their mandate to improve the welfare and security of the people,” Yabagi said.
He added that IPAC was committed to implementing strategies that would hold the legislature accountable and ensure that it delivered on its mandate of making laudable laws for the country.

“We believe that we need to improve on the system because there is no way we can deal with the issues of poverty, grow our economy other than to put our elected members to be on their toes,” Yabagi said.
In his remarks, the Director, Political Section of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Mr Du Sheng, pledged the embassy’s toward the development of Nigeria’s democracy.

Sheng said that the success of Nigeria’s democracy was critical for the Africa, pledging support for the peer review mechanism.

“We are very impressed with the democracy process in Nigeria. It is a success because I have witnessed a very continuous, consecutive 24 years of democratic dispensation.

“I think that’s good not only for the nation but for Africa, and the world because we know Nigeria is very influential and big country in Africa.

“We are committed to supporting IPAC’s efforts towards improving governance and empowering political parties,” Sheng said.

(NAN)