Thirteen registered political parties in Osun State have rejected the appointment of a caretaker committee for the Inter‑Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
IPAC serves as the umbrella body for opposition political parties across Nigeria.
Speaking on behalf of the parties in Osogbo, Chairman of the Democratic Leadership Alliance, Tosin Odeyemi, described the caretaker committee arrangement as “a joke taken too far.”
Odeyemi recalled that the IPAC national body failed to conduct elections into vacant positions in Osun after the tenure of the last chairman, Victor Akande of the Accord Party, expired. He noted that Akande sought reelection despite being chairman of the ruling party, while Odeyemi, then NNPP chairman, also declared interest in the post.
“On the scheduled date of the election, March 14, 2026, the process was stalled. The disruption was attributed to the absence of committee members mandated to conduct the election. The National Organising Secretary of IPAC, Chinyere O. Kalu, later informed stakeholders that the election had been postponed and that a new date would be communicated in due course.
“Since then, there has been no further communication from the IPAC National Secretariat. The state secretariat is not functioning, and there is effectively nowhere to direct official correspondence. But to our chagrin, the Inter‑Party Advisory Council (IPAC) saddled with the responsibilities of promoting and sustaining a free, fair, credible, transparent, inclusive, and peaceful electoral environment in Nigeria, turned itself to a willing tools in the hands of politicians.
“National body of IPAC de‑emphasised the values of tolerance, accommodation, and teamwork in the planning and organisation of political competition, all aimed at strengthening and deepening Nigeria’s democratic process, they went ahead, without carrying any stakeholders along, in putting in place a caretaker committee for Osun. This won’t stand,” Odeyemi said.
He listed the political parties rejecting the caretaker committee as Labour Party, African Democratic Congress, Nigeria Democratic Congress, Zenith Labour Party, Action Democratic Party, National Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, Allied Peoples Movement, Democratic Leadership Alliance, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Action Alliance, and African Action Congress.
Odeyemi questioned the legality of the caretaker committee, stressing that the IPAC Constitution makes no provision for such an arrangement. He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disregard the committee.
The PUNCH reports that uncertainty overshadowed the election of new IPAC leadership in Osun after members of the national committee failed to appear at the venue. The election, scheduled to hold at INEC’s Osogbo office, saw all 19 party chairmen present and signing the attendance register before the disruption.
