The Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) on Tuesday passed a vote of confidence on the ongoing collation of presidential election process by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, urging protesting political parties to wait till the end of the collation to raise their issues.

Chairman of IPAC, Yabagi Sani, who spoke on behalf of all the political parties at the National Collation Centre (NCC) ,Abuja said the reason for the Committee’s support was because democracy is crucial to the people of Nigeria.

While stressing that elections are the fundamental pillars of democracy Sani noted that when democracy fails, political parties are the first casualties and the politicians are the biggest losers.

His word :”We are here with most of the members of the council. We are here to express our delight that this process should continue, this is because when democracy fails political parties are the first casualties and the politicians are the biggest losers.

“Democracy is crucial to the people of this country and we believe that the elections are the fundamental pillars of our democracy. So the mere fact that we held this election amid the current circumstances we need to congratulate this country.”

Noting that the Committee is being mindful of the challenges facing Nigerians and indeed the Commission during the elections , Mr Sani said both the commission and political parties experienced some unexpected development.

According to him: “From our findings, it is not uncommon to experience such in any technology usage. We believe that we are at a crossroads but Nigerians are highly resilient.

“Democracy is a journey and the journey so far we have to congratulate ourselves because Nigeria matters in things globally. We should sum up the courage to conclude this process.”

Stressing that the show must continue, Mr. Sani gave the backing of the IPAC and encouraged the INEC chairman to go ahead and ensure that the process is concluded and concluded well. He advised aggrieved members to seek redress in Court.

“Some of our aggrieved members can do what the constitution made provision for which is to seek redress in the Court of law. So we want to say because of this country and the importance of this process to our country of course we have prejudice by the position some of our members must have taken but we must be on the side of history that this process is concluded and Nigeria becomes greater,” he stressed.

He assured that the Committee is on the same page with aggrieved members, but the process must be concluded. “I want to assure Nigerians that as political parties we are on the same page with them but we must conclude this process and conclude it and do what the law says we can do,” he said.

Seconding Mr. Sani ,the national chairman/presidential Candidate Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, reiterated what the IPAC chairman said that the nation has passed through many elections. “There is nowhere in the world where there are no problems even in the US”, he said urging Nigerians not to burn down the country. Nigeria must exist before anybody can seek justice.

“Without prejudice to whatever challenges we must not burn down Nigeria. Nigeria must exist first before we can become whatever we want to become,” he said.

He said during the election, the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) performed optimally. “During this election, there was no problem with BVAS until the end of the election and it is a well-thought-out device. BVAS is the best option to go. I voted and BVAS worked.

“We must remember. We have the law to review the problem and even reverse them. Why we meet today was to talk about our party. We love our country and nobody should tell us to take to the street. There are many gains of this election.

“Nobody can believe that Lagos can fall to a third force. Nobody believes that three governors will lose their senatorial bid in a state they govern for eight years. Nobody can believe that incumbent Senator Uche Ekuinife will lose her return bid.

“So many people lose their bid to a rookie and Okada rider,” he said.

Recall that the Labour Party senatorial candidate for Anambra Central Senatorial district, Senator Victor Umeh won the senatorial election conducted in the state.

He noted that Sen Ekwunife did everything for her community but lost her election. Party leaders lost their polling units and states. This is the same election we want to throw the baby with the bath water.

“So, go ahead with the process. We are confident with the process. Nobody should crucify the INEC chairman,” he added.

On his part, the INEC chairman INEC chairman said the Commission will review and revise itself in accordance with Section 65 of the new Electoral Act. “In accordance with the new electoral Act particularly under section 65 of the Electoral Act, we will review the election where it is absolutely necessary,” he added.