The Cross River State chapter of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has threatened to ask the federal government to suspend the monthly allocation to the 18 local government areas of the state, if the state government fails to conduct elections into the LGAs before the end of three months mandated by the Supreme Court.
IPAC chairman in Cross River State, Engr. Effiom Edet, issued the warning on Friday in Calabar during a media parley with Journalists at Ernest Etim Bassey Press Calabar, the state’s capital.
Effiom who interacted with journalists in company with other officials stated that if Governor Bassey Otu-led government fails to conduct the elections before the end of December 2024, IPAC would not hesitate to write to the federal government to stop sending allocations to the 18 LGAs in the state.
“In line with the ruling of the Supreme Court on local government autonomy, IPAC demands that the government conducts the long awaited local government elections before December 2024.
“Failure to conduct the elections promptly, the council will not hesitate to ask the federal government to stop sending allocations to the 18 local government areas in the state”, he said.
IPAC commended the State House of Assembly for amending contentious sections of the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission, CROSIEC Bill, saying it reflects a broader consensus of critical stakeholders.
The council also urged the Governor Otu to assent to the bill to enable the conduct of local government elections.
IPAC also passed a vote of confidence on the newly constituted board of CROSIEC and charged the commission to ensure the conduct of free, fair, transparent, and credible elections in the state.