MUCH ADO ABOUT CNPP AND IPAC
(From My Diary)
By Wole Adedoyin
INTRODUCTION
Those who are familiar with all the masterpieces of the Late William Shakespeare would have read his funny and enchanted play he titled “Much Ado about Nothing”. I was then in JSS 3 when my Late Father, Prof. Albert Aderemi Adedoyin (a Prince from Ibodi Village in Ilesha) gave me his original copy of the Complete Works of Shakespeare. I made the book my companion. One of my favorite plays in the collection is Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing where I derived the title of this short article. The play was full of pun, metaphor, hyperbole, imagery and all other literary devices.
The meaning of the Interparty Advisory Council to me is an intermediary between the electoral Umpire (INEC) and the players (Political Parties). Though the name in Abstract was coined from Ghana’s Interparty Advisory Council. Nigeria INEC stole Ghana’s intellectual property (laughs). Nigeria IPAC is a template of Ghana’s Interparty administration and management. Though not much has been improve with Nigeria’s IPAC when compared to Ghana’s IPAC. I’ve been following the trends of both organizations in the two different countries. Ghana’s IPAC has been doing well. They enjoy independent from their country’s electoral umpire unlike my country and they are always in war of words with the government if they go against their rights or wishes. Should I call them original IPAC (IPAC Ghana) while ours is the opposite (joking). But remember that we stole their names and interparty administration and management. It was even written in the IPAC Code of Conduct that Nigeria’s IPAC was a prototype of Ghana’s IPAC. My sincere appreciation goes to those visionary leaders who sat down and brought this democratic idea into Nigeria’s democracy.
I see IPAC as a strong vehicle for conveying our Democracy into promise land. Currently IPAC Nigeria has no written names or printed documentary of those who championed the cause of IPAC. But ive seen and heard about the good efforts of Prof. Bartholomew Nnaji (presently the National Chairman of the Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP), Dr. Yinusa Tanko (currently, the National Chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP)) and my present IPAC Boss, Hon. Muhammed Nalado (currently, the National Chairman of the Accord Party (AP)). Majority of IPAC members don’t even know that Hon. Muhammed Nalado is currently using his second term as IPAC National Chairman. He was once a National Chairman when IPAC Nigeria was crawling.
I’ve had opportunities to discuss and brainstorm with the three above mentioned names. And they told me all they did, their contributions toward the development and growth of IPAC in the country.
MY INVOLVEMENT WITH IPAC AND CNPP
JOINING CNPP IN OYO STATE
Before the advent of IPAC in the country, a viable political association then was the current Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP). I remembered I first joined the CNPP when I was then the Oyo State Secretary/PRO of Alh. Balarabe Musa’s Peoples Redemption Party (PRP). There was then a faction between Alh. Yinka Olona and one Arc. Oyeniyi. Though Alh. Yinka Olona faction was the one recognized by the Governor then in administration, H.E Otunba Alao Akala. I was made the State Secretary of Arc. Oyeniyi CNPP faction which was then receiving support from Chief Lamidi Apapa (who was then the Oyo State Chairman of the Labour Party now its Southwest Chairman) and Comrade Laoye Sanda (a radical activist). I also remembered when I was made the Oyo State Secretary of a coalition, known then as Coalition for A New Nigeria (CNN) initiated by Alh. Balarabe Musa with the major aim of using it to wrest power from the ruling party at both the Federal and State levels in 2011. Comrade Laoye Sanda chaired the Coalition. I still have some of the minutes of the Coalition with me. That same year Governor Adebayo Alao Akala of PDP lost the election to the current Governor, H.E. Abiola Ajimobi. 12 Political Parties including CAN, LP and CPC then were members of the Coalition. It was when I was in PRP I started talking to Baba Balarabe Musa. We discussed almost every day. I was later appointed the Oyo State Organizing Secretary of Alhaji Yinka Olona Faction when I joined his team.
JOINING IPAC IN OYO STATE
I politically became a member of the Interparty Advisory Council(IPAC) in 2012 during the country’s constitutional review. I was then one of the official delegates appointed to attend the South West Constitutional Review held in Eko Airport Hotel in Ikeja. Dn. Samson Olalere (now the Southwest Chairman of APGA) and Alhaji Yinka Olone (now the Southwest Chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties CNPP) made it possible for my party to attend. For I was then the Oyo State Chairman of the Peoples Mandate Party (PMP) under the National Leadership of Prof. Edward. I learnt that one Dr. Sadiq was then the National Coordinator of IPAC. The event was organized by FG with support from UNDP and other international support groups. Individual parties from Oyo State then were given 108,000. I remembered sending a token to the National Headquarters of my Party as part of my state’s annual due. That gave me a good recommendation even after the party was deregistered in 2011. And it was the first time my party members would receive their dividend of Democracy.
2014 was when IPAC came to stay in all the states of the federation. Elections took place in August of that year where I was voted in as the Foundation Secretary of the Oyo State IPAC. APA (my party) got 17 votes against PPA (one Engr. Ogunjimi) got 5 Votes. Dcn. Samson Olalere and Alh. Yinka Olona did all the spade works for us to win that election. Alh. Sifawa Samaila, APA National Seceratry also did his best to make sure I participated in the election by given me proper documents.
RELOCATION TO OSUN STATE
I left Oyo State when my father died. It was a difficult decision for me to make then whether to still remain in Oyo or to go to Osun. A family meeting held in Ilesa mandated me to relocate to Osun state to oversee the family properties and business. I brought APA to Oyo State and I made sure that it contested in the last election. We had Governorship Candidate and House of Assembly Candidates. I personally took all my candidates forms to our National Headquarters in Abuja while other chairmen sent theirs through DHL or Travelling Buses. When I left for Osun State, I made those we started the party together in Oyo State as part of the current executive members of the party in the state. They know the nooks and crannies of the party structure in the state. Most of them contested for House of Assembly.
When I got to Osun State, I wanted to be politically relevant like I was in Oyo state. I sat down, downloaded many articles, releases and reports of political activities and elections in Osun State. I read through everything, there I got to know that the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) was not in Osun State. Since the registration of the Party, it has never been brought to Osun State. I got the contact of Chief Abrose Owuru (the present National Chairman of Hope Democratic Party (HDP)) who asked me many questions and later made me the Osun State Chairman of the Hope Democratic Party without facial discussion or appearance. He personally without collecting any kobo from me sent me my letter of Appointment as Chairman through my electronic mail. Alh. Sifawa Samaila of the African People’s Alliance Party APA, also did the same for me.
THE DIVISION IN IPAC OYO
IPAC consists of members with selfish and diverse interests. The major selfish mission of every IPAC exco is to use their position to get something from their ruling government. They can do anything to achieve their aims. Even fight their benefactors to achieve their selfish aims. This is what caused the division in Oyo IPAC. Those who know me know that I don’t betray my benefactors. If they sink, I sink with them. This is my political ideology. When some angered Oyo IPAC members thought our leaders then were cheating them, when I made my research I found out they were lying against them, they were only looking for a way to free away themselves from their benefactors to pursue their selfish interests. When I emerged as the foundation secretary of the Interparty Advisory Council in Oyo State, I fashioned out 7 points agenda aim at strengthening the body and democracy in Oyo State. Apart from the agenda, I gave them the template of their Letterhead, ID card, built them blog and online newsletter. Even intimate the body with Oyo DSS, Commissioner of Police and NOA.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE CNPP AND IPAC LEADERS
BALARABE MUSA – CNPP – National Chairman of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)
I always call him my grandfather. When I was then the Oyo State Secretary of PRP, Baba would call me first to ask about my family and work, then party affairs would follow. Baba made me to hate ruling parties, especially those that are anti-masses. I got to know the practical meaning of Talakawa Politics through him. I learned a lot from him. Since the foundation of CNPP, I’ve known him to be only the organization’s true leader. I remembered when I wanted to bring Baba to Oyo State through my proposed Annual Balarabe Musa Distinguished Personality Lecture. Baba wanted to come but due to some change in logistics then, the programme couldn’t hold. Baba Balarabe Musa is currently the major voice of the Opposition Parties in Nigeria.
PROF. BATHOLOWEW NNAJI –IPAC – National Chairman of Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP)
Prof. that is what I always call him. He talks too much but his a true democrat. I was surprised when he told me he was the first Coordinator of IPAC. Though I still don’t believe him since IPAC don’t have any written document to proof this fact. He confessed to me how he struggled to make IPAC a viable and effective organization. He told me how he started IPAC constitution now known as IPAC Code of Conduct.
DR. YINUSA TANKO – IPAC – National Chairman of National Conscience Party (NCP)
I always refer to him as my Egbon. A radical politician. We’ve met in many political functions. Constitutionally, Yinusa Tanko should be regarded as the First National Chairman of IPAC in Nigeria. Because he was elected by political parties in an election administered by the Independent National Electoral Commission by themselves. He always calls me WALE instead of WOLE (laughs). He encourages young people like me a lot to venture into politics. During his tenure as IPAC President, he started Annual IPAC National Conference with the maiden edition which was held in Kaduna in 2015.
HON. MUHAMMAD NALADO – IPAC - National Chairman of the Accord Party (AP)
Many IPAC Members who are part of IPAC Watchdog (a platform I created for sharing INEC and IPAC News across the Country) knew what I did against Alh. Nalado during the last IPAC National Election. I campaigned for his opponent Alh. Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, the current National Chairman of the Labour Party. But Alh. Abdulkadir Abdulsalam lost by 2 votes to Alh. Nalado. Alh. Nalado surprised me later when he extended his heart of love to me. Despite all I did, he made me one of his people. He has made history as the first IPAC President to send IPAC Members at the state level to training in KURU, Jos. Though a capacity building workshop aim at enhancing political party administration and management in the country. Hon. Nalado has also gotten a befitting National Secretariat of IPAC in Abuja.
ALH. BASHIR IBRAHIM – IPAC – National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM)
We only talked once. He didn’t record outstanding achievements like Alh. Yinusa Tanko and Hon. Muhammad Nalado. The only website he built for IPAC stopped running immediately he left the office as National Chairman and the Office he claimed he got for the organization folded up after he left office. The only achievement he recorded is the issuance of certificate of service to serving members of IPAC executives.
CHIEF PETER AMEH – IPAC – National Chairman of the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA)
I call him Bros. Peter Ameh is a Journalist and Computer Guru. A former National Secretary of IPAC under the leadership of Alh. Tanko Yinusa. A pal of the Former Nigeria President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. We were much closed when I wanted him to remove the foundation Chairman of Oyo IPAC. As IPAC Secretary he tried his best in the area of information dissemination and press releases. He lost his IPAC National Chairmanship bid to Alh. Bashir Ibrahim of Peoples Democratic Party (PDM).
CHIEF SAM EKE – IPAC – National Chairman of Citizen Popular Party (CPP)
He is the only PHD holder among party national chairmen in the country. He is known to me as “Baba Onirugbon” meaning “bearded man”. He is the current Secretary General of IPAC. I know he is currently preparing to run for IPAC National Chairman. I’ve not seen much of him compare to when Peter Ameh was holding the same position.

Wole Adedoyin is the current Osun State Chairman of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) and the National Coordinator of Democratic Writers Association of Nigeria.