From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Following the degenerating state of insecurity, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to declare a state of emergency on national security, which it believes would pave the way for sincere and genuine discussions on better ways of tackling the situation.
IPAC said it was concerned with the colony of non-state actors masquerading under different names and labels, unleashing mayhem and terror via kidnapping, killing, maiming, abducting, destruction, thus making the country unsafe.
IPAC Chairman, Dr. Leonard Nzenwa, who addressed journalists in Abuja, admitted that justice guarantees peace, thus, asking the government to sincerely and frontally address issues bordering on injustice and other perceived inequality and unfairness.
He also suggested that government open dialogue with credible and patriotic senior citizens, bodies and groupings that do not promote dismemberment of the nation and have not willfully killed any in advancing their cause; not to condone, discuss or negotiate with bandits, terrorists or other criminal elements.
He charged government to undertake complete overhaul of the nation’s security architecture, increase budgetary allocation to the security sector, fund and recruit more youths, review and enhance compensation and welfare package of the armed forces personnel, and also boost intelligence gathering, deployment and its use.
He also called for a new approach that would be used to address herders/farmers/ethnic clashes frontally, and prosecute individuals inflaming the polity with their speeches, hate or otherwise.
The Council, ahead of 2023 political activities, urged political stakeholders to sincerely work and enthrone fairness, equity and justice in power structure and diffuse power bases in such a manner that those who have been left out in power equation are accommodated, compensated and made to have a sense of belonging.
It warned that departing from such decent course, will derail the polity and result in unimaginable consequences for all.
Meanwhile, national leadership of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has dissolved all State Chapters of the Coalition with immediate effect.
This was contained in a statement released in Abuja, by the National Secretary of CUPP, Peter Ameh.
He explained that the decision would afford stakeholders the opportunity to reposition CUPP at the State level in order to build a strong, virile, progressive and equitable democratic nation.
He directed that all activities of the Coalition in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) be suspended till further notice, directing that all matters relating to the Coalition should be directed to the national leadership in Abuja
He also asked stakeholders in the democratic process including State Governments, civil society organizations and the nation’s development partners to take note of the development and discontinue any formal engagement with the states chapter of the Coalition.