By John Ovie, YENAGOA
Controversy has continued to rock the Ijaw National Congress (INC) as the chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers and Elders (N-CITRE), King Bubaraye Dakolo has denied knowledge of any INC election held at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state on April 13, 2026.
The Justice Francis Tabai led National Electoral Committee of the INC under the presidency of Prof. Benjamin Okaba held a national executive council election of the Ijaw national congress on the above date where McDonald Igbadiwei Emerged president-elect among other positions.
Three presidential candidates, Alabo Nengi James, Timi Ogoriba and Rear Admiral Geofrey Yanga (rtd) boycotted the electoral exercise, citing irregularities.
Before the election, N-CITRE held a press briefing in Yenagoa and issued a statement stopping the polls, adding that a reconciliation committee had been set up to resolve all grievances resulting from the electoral process.
The electoral committee, however, went on to conduct the election which has now become another subject for controversy.
When our correspondent reached out to the N-CITRE chairman, King Dakolo over the phone to hear his reaction concerning the said election, the Monarch replied, “was there any election yesterday? (April 13).
He thereafter asked our correspondent to end the call due to his busy schedules, promising to call back for an elaborate interview.
In a similar vein, one of the INC presidential candidate, Alambo Nengi James, told TNN over the telephone that he was not aware of the said INC election.
He added that he would rather remain silent on the issue because he and another presidential candidate, Rear Admiral Geofrey Yanga were in court respectively, challenging the electoral process, noting that the latter’s court case would come up on the 28 of April.
James also referred to an order from N-CITRE stopping the election until all issues were amicably resolved.
Speaking shortly after the election, at the Ijaw House, the outgoing INC president, Okaba, whose tenure is expected to expire in May, maintained that he had a court order compelling him to conduct the electoral exercise without which he would be held for contempt of court.
Okaba argued that N-CITRE was only charged with the responsibility of resolving issues arising from an already conducted election and not with the right to stop electoral process.
“We all know what transpires but all of that is behind us now and Ijaw nation will move forward. We will do the needful.
“After now, I’m sure, the ELECO will formally write to NEC (National Executive Council) and CITRE. Right now, the job of CITRE starts because the constitutional provision is that they (CITRE) deliberate on issues arising from, from is the issue. That’s the qualifying adjective,” Okaba explained.
Would the INC also break into factions as being witnessed in the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC)? The public is watching.
