Drama, power play trail INC elections as ex-MEND leaders-backed candidate wins

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

Drama and power play have trailed the elections into the National Executive Committee of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) following the election of former militant leaders-backed candidate, Macdonald Igbadiwei.

This is even as the Ijaw Women’s Rights group headed by former Federal Permanent Secretary, Dr. Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, is pleading with all parties to exercise caution and resolve all disputes.

Igbadiwei was declared President-Elect of INC after he polled 317 votes, defeating five other candidates.

The election of Igbadiwei defied the suspension of the polls by the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE), headed by the HRM King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV, over several petitions which required resolution before elections.

Three candidates, Timi Ogoriba, Nengi James and Rear Admiral Geoffrey Yanga (retd), had announced they would boycott the elections.

Investigations revealed that based on CITRE advice, the Bayelsa State Commissioner had deployed several armed policemen to Ijaw House, venue of the election, to prevent any gathering for elections.

The Police team was also complemented by a detachment of operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) who were inside the premises.

Findings indicated that a top former commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), based on briefings from Igbadiwei, placed calls to top security officials in Abuja, and a counter order for the election to proceed was given, forcing the  Commissioner of Police to withdraw his men.

At the commencement of the election, Monday afternoon, two former ex-MEND commanders in Bayelsa State, Paul Eris, aka Ogunboss, and Pastor Wilson Rueben, were at Ijaw House in solidarity with Igbadiwei. 

Koripamo-Agary, in a statement, noted that recent happenings in INC were a setback for the Ijaw nation, which calls for deep reflection.

According to her, aggrieved voices should not be dismissed because they represent the conscience of a people committed to justice, order, and collective dignity.

“The strength of the Ijaw nation has always rested on unity, respect for due process, and strict adherence to our constitutional and institutional frameworks.

The statement read in part: “All stakeholders: political leaders, traditional rulers, business leaders, youth constituencies, women leaders, and community voices, bear a collective responsibility to safeguard the integrity and credibility of the INC as the umbrella socio-cultural body of the Ijaw people.

“While efforts and appeals were made in good faith to encourage dialogue and adherence to due process, the discredited executive leadership of the INC has gone ahead with elections regardless. This development is deeply regrettable, unacceptable, and profoundly insulting to the collective sensibilities of the Ijaw people.

“Constructive engagement, transparency, and accountability must remain the guiding principles for any legitimate process moving forward. When disagreements are handled outside established constitutional procedures, the result is the erosion of public trust and the weakening of our collective voice.