The Conference for Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE) says if the Ijaw National Congress (INC) goes ahead to inaugurate winners of the April 13th 2027 National Executive Council (NEC) election, it would be an exercise in futility.
Chairman of CITRE, King Bubaraye Dakolo noted that the constitution of the group, authorizes him to appoint the traditional ruler that performs inauguration of INC elected executive council, emphasizing that there is no other person that has the constitutional to do so.
Briefing newsmen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, chairman of CITRE, King Bubaraye Dakolo who is also the chairman, Bayelsa State traditional rulers council, said there are existing court injunctions from a high court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and another in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State restraining CITRE from performing the inauguration.
Justice Sobere Bionko, of the Rivers State high court sitting in Port Harcourt with suit number PH/C/1415/C6/2026 on Thursday, April 8th, 2026, issued an interim injunction restraining CITRE, the INC president , Prof. Benjamin Okaba, the chairman of the electoral committee, Justice Francis Tabai retd from “inaugurating, swearing in, or presenting for inauguration any persons as officers of the INC.
The election which held on April 13, was declared null and void by CITRE over breaches of the constitution.
Pastor Victor Burubo, Eneyo Athanasius Emmanuel, and Ekene Okeigbeye had filed the suit praying the court to stop the inauguration.
Also, a high court sitting in Yenagoa and presided over by Justice Amadise Michael Ekadi, on Tuesday, April 12th, 2026 in a suit filed by one of the presidential candidates, Rear Admiral Geofrey Yanga “directed all parties to “maintain status quo as at today (April 12th).”
Justice Ekadi adjourned the case to April 14th, the same day for the proposed inauguration of the INC national executive council.
The CITRE chairman also disclosed that he is with another court order from a high court sitting in Warri, Delta State presided over by Justice Anthony Olotu Akpovi, restraining CITRE from “truncating, suspending, frustrating, scuttling, disrupting or postponing the inauguration” in a suit filed by Mr. McDonald Igbadiwei, winner of the April 13th contentious election .
According to Dakolo, CITRE will take over the activities of INC from Thursday April 14th, 2026 when the tenure of the Okaba led national executive committee will officially expire in line with the constitution of the INC in an event where a lacuna is created.
When contacted over the telephone, the outgoing INC president, Prof. Okaba confirmed the planned Inauguration billed for Thursday, April 14th at yet to be disclosed venue.
When our correspondent asked him wether the insulation will hold as planned, Okaba said “yes, the inauguration holds. I will send you the venu latter.”
The outgoing Voice President 1 and presidential candidate of the INC, Alabo Nengi James, who also boycotted the electoral exercise, told our correspondent that he would not be part of the proposed inauguration ceremony, adding that on April 14th, he would officially handover INC documents in his possession to the appropriate quarter as the constitution of the pan Ijaw sociocultural group demands.
Penultimate week ago, the Bayelsa State governor, who is also referred to as the “governor general” of the Ijaw nation advised that the planned inauguration be put on hold until all legal issues are resolved out of court but the governor’s admonition seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
