By Anietie Akpan
Two political parties, the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) have pulled out of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Cross River State.
In a joint statement issued in Calabar on Monday, May, 26, by the Chairman, YPP, Comrade Anthony Bissong Attah and Chairman, SDP, Dr. Ambo Ekpenyong in the state said they have withdrawn their membership of the IPAC in the state “with immediate effect”.
The statement said, “the two leading opposition political parties in the state resolved not to work with the embattled IPAC Chairman for his inability to lead according to the code of conduct guiding the council”.
The statement further said, “the leadership of IPAC as currently constituted fall short of the ideals of the founding fathers of the council by taking undemocratic decisions on behalf of political parties without due consultation.
“It is our belief that the council made up of largely opposition political parties must always draw a clear line between maintaining a cordial relationship with the government in power as well as standing up for good governance and accountability. IPAC is not an appendage of the ruling party”.
At a time when there is a national outcry against turning the country into a one party state, they declared, “we can not afford the luxury of joining the praise singing train without mustering the courage to draw the attention of the government to areas that they are failing.
“It is against this background that we have elected to withdraw from blind partisanship in order to offer our patriotic advice to the government”.
However the two parties pledged to “continue to think Cross River State by always standing on the part of truth, transparency, accountability, and good governance.
“We therefore call on all well-meaning Cross Riverians to support the administration of Senator Prince Bassey Otu by constructively criticizing the government as well as proffering solutions that will move the state forward”.
