Uneasy calm in Bayelsa over INC elections as Ijaw monarchs,

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

Palpable tension has gripped Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, and by extension, the Ijaw nation, following the controversy trailing the election to the executive positions of the apex organisation of the Ijaw nation, Ijaw National Congress (INC).

The INC had been thrown into crisis after several aggrieved people petitioned the National Executive Council (NEC) and the Electoral Committee, pleading that the election scheduled for April 13 be halted.

The Council of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE), headed by King Bubaraye Dakolo and Chairman of Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers’ Council, had been forced to intervene, suspending further action on the election and directing the electoral committee to stand down its conduct of the election.

The intervention of CITRE has been rebuffed by the NEC, headed by Prof Benjamin Okaba and the electoral committee, headed by retired Justice Francis Tabai, which insisted that the election would proceed as scheduled.

However, King Dakolo, in a press briefing, yesterday, at the Council of Traditional Rulers Secretariat, Yenagoa, stated that CITRE, as the Supreme Court of INC, in line with the Constitution, decided to suspend the election to ensure that it resolves all pending elections.

The monarch stated that it was troubling that there were moves to go ahead with the election, despite CITRE’s intervention to reconcile all aggrieved parties.

According to him, there had been several constitutional breaches, including compromising the independence of the electoral committee by the Okabe-led NEC, leading to the election impasse, which does not paint the Ijaw nation in a good light.

King Dakolo, while noting that all parties to the election had been briefed, disclosed that any gathering at the Ijaw House today, April 13, would be illegal.

He said as chairman of CITRE, he would not be involved in any illegality and has written to the Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State, to ensure that there is no gathering whatsoever in the name of the election.

“I have written to the Commissioner of Police to brief him about the INC’s constitution and the constitutional role of CITRE. The election slated for April 13 is completely out of order as it is not following the constitution. I have already written to the Commissioner of Police to ensure there is no gathering in the name of the election. Anything done not in line with the constitution will be null and void. No right-thinking Ijaw man will participate in any election on April 13.’’

However, in a swift reaction, Okaba has insisted that the election would go ahead as planned for April 13.

Okaba, who acknowledged a role for CITRE in the INC constitution, was quick to state that its role is only advisory.