By John OVIE
There is confusion in Ijaw Nation as the Prof. Benjamin Okaba led Ijaw National Congress (INC) is currently conducting national executive council election of the Ijaw apex sociocultural organization in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.
The election is holding against an order given by the National Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (N-CITRE) suspending the electoral exercise slated for today, April 13 till further notice, pending resolution of all grievances arising from the process.
Chairman of N-CITRE King Bubaraye Dakolo who doubles as chairman of Bayelsa state Traditional Rulers council, had in a statement, said any INC election conducted against the order of N-CITRE would be rendered null and void, adding that a committee had been set up to look at the issues and report back to the traditional body.
Before the election began at the Ijaw house in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital, the INC President, Okaba, addressed the press, noting that the first date of the election was shifted due to a court injunction instituted by one of the presidential candidates, McDonald Igbadiwei, who had since withdrawn the injunction and is now participating in the polls.
Okaba maintained that he had legal backing to conduct the election.
Meanwhile, some of the presidential candidates who have boycotted today’s INC national executive council election include: Rear Admiral Geofrey Yanga (rtd), Chief Timi Ogoriba and Alabo Nengi James.
As at the time of filing this report, accreditation of delegates had begun done and electronic voting ongoing.
TNN reports that there is heavy security presence at the venue of the election.
There is confusion in Ijaw Nation as the Prof. Benjamin Okaba led Ijaw National Congress (INC) is currently conducting national executive council election of the Ijaw apex sociocultural organization in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.
The election is holding against an order given by the National Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (N-CITRE) suspending the electoral exercise slated for today, April 13 till further notice, pending resolution of all grievances arising from the process.
Chairman of N-CITRE King Bubaraye Dakolo who doubles as chairman of Bayelsa state Traditional Rulers council, had in a statement, said any INC election conducted against the order of N-CITRE would be rendered null and void, adding that a committee had been set up to look at the issues and report back to the traditional body.
Before the election began at the Ijaw house in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital, the INC President, Okaba, addressed the press, noting that the first date of the election was shifted due to a court injunction instituted by one of the presidential candidates, McDonald Igbadiwei, who had since withdrawn the injunction and is now participating in the polls.
Okaba maintained that he had legal backing to conduct the election.
Meanwhile, some of the presidential candidates who have boycotted today’s INC national executive council election include: Rear Admiral Geofrey Yanga (rtd), Chief Timi Ogoriba and Alabo Nengi James.
As at the time of filing this report, accreditation of delegates had begun done and electronic voting ongoing.
TNN reports that there is heavy security presence at the venue of the election.
