New Leadership for IPAC in Osun

Fourteen out of the 22 registered political parties in Osun State on Monday elected new executives for the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC). The election took place in Osogbo, the state capital, and was monitored by journalists.

The election resulted in a nine-member executive. Tosin Odeyemi, the chairman of the Democratic Leadership Alliance, became the new chairman of Osun IPAC.

Other members elected include Prof. Adigun Adepeju from the African Democratic Congress as Deputy Chairman, Araoye Kazeem from the Action Alliance as Secretary, Adesuyi Olufemi from the Zenith Labour Party as Publicity Secretary, and Mustapha Muideen from the Labour Party as Treasurer.

Dr. Gbenga Afeni from the National Rescue Movement was named the new Organising Secretary. Waheed Adediran from the All Progressives Congress became the Legal Adviser. Tayo Adeyemi from the African Action Congress was elected as Financial Secretary, while Adebayo Olasunkanmi from the Allied Peoples Movement took the role of Deputy Secretary.

Several party chairmen were present at the election. They include Toye Akinola from the Action Democratic Party, Charles Omidiji from the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Victor Olopade from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Funso Fabiyi from the Social Democratic Party, and Ezekiel Ayoola from the National Democratic Party. Ayoola also chaired the electoral committee.

In his acceptance speech, the new chairman Odeyemi said that 16 political parties participated in the election, out of the 22 registered parties. He mentioned that they took action after the national IPAC leadership failed to fill the vacant positions in Osun State.

Odeyemi said, "This vacuum is causing concern among stakeholders, particularly with the gubernatorial election approaching. The absence of a functioning IPAC raises a critical question: who will serve as the official mouthpiece for political parties in the engagements and consultations preceding the election?"

He added, "After due consultation, sixteen registered Political Parties in Osun state out of the twenty-two felt we should not allow our collective council to be hijacked by those desperate to put us in the coven of a political party."

He continued, "Hence the inauguration of this Executive Committee, with our full consent, to serve as intermediary between the Political Parties and the electorate. I want to appreciate our National Executive Committee of IPAC, my leaders and elders in Osun IPAC for this great trust; I will never take it for granted."

Odeyemi expressed his willingness to collaborate with other executive members, defend the interests of the parties, and strengthen democratic governance through meaningful engagement.

PUNCH Online reported earlier that a crisis hit IPAC in the state. Thirteen registered political parties rejected the appointment of a caretaker committee for IPAC in Osun.

IPAC serves as the umbrella body for opposition political parties. Addressing journalists in Osogbo, Tosin Odeyemi spoke on behalf of the parties that rejected the caretaker committee. He called the appointment "a joke taken too far."

Odeyemi reminded everyone how the national IPAC could not conduct an election for the vacant positions in the council after the last chairman, Victor Akande, who is also the state chairman of the Accord Party, completed his tenure.