By TINA TIMOTHY

The National Civil Society Coalition for Peace and Security has called for the immediate suspension of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) Chairman, Engr Yabagi Yusuf Sani, following his rejection of the proposal that political parties should make drug integrity tests part of their screening requirements for aspirants seeking elective offices in the 2023 general election.

The coalition, in a press statement after an emergency meeting on Monday, May 2, 2022, signed by the Convener, Martin Igwe, made this demand while referring to indiscipline and unprofessional behaviour of some previously elected government officials as well as its effect on the country and her citizenry.

According to the coalition, the drug test proposed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for political aspirants for 2023 election was meant to compliment the effort of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to bring peace and security in electoral process.

The group said the call by NDLEA for testing of aspirant “is not only timely but appropriate to guarantee peace during elections and certify candidates whose mental health were incapable of the challenges ahead.”

The coalition noted that apart from ensuring peace during the polls, the test would equally help to curb some abnormal behaviours by some of elected representatives.

It gave examples of people leaving the Legislature after their emergence for no known reason; a federal legislator caught beating a woman in a shop, cases of corruption such as snake made away with millions of Naira from an agency, gorilla allegedly took some million from a zoo, N13 billion found in a house in Ikoyi while some are cooling off in septic tanks all over Nigeria.

“While the statutory salary of Nigerian President in a year is not up to 20 Million Naira, an agency staff allegedly took 300 Million as travel allowance. Allowing those kind of characters to jump into electoral process without drug test amounts to democratic sacrilege and if IPAC Chairman is not officially suspended within 14 days or fails to dissociate himself from this unpopular statement, CSOs will decide on the next action,” the coalition said.

It added: “Only in 2019 elections, 629 persons were killed across Nigeria. By rejecting drug test for politicians, IPAC chairman has overtly supported this electoral violence; Police and other security agencies should be officially informed of IPAC position while we mobilize for necessary legislative action that should halt further National embracement by politicians with yet to be identified misguided selfish interest.

“Finally CSOs join well-meaning Nigerians to condemn the high cost of Expression of Interest Form for contestable positions in the next elections, that creates another possibility of drug barons and fraud stars to join the race, as they have the resources.”

The group berated the IPAC Chairman for having the “shameless boldness to call a laudable idea by NDLEA ‘awkward proposal,’ which it described as “tantamount to advisory disservice to Nigeria’s political parties, insult to credible electoral process, hence our renewed call to political parties to suspend IPAC Chairman immediately.”

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