Ijaw Youths Urges CITRE To Retain INC Leadership

The Ijaw Progressive Union of Aborigines (IPUA), an affiliate of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), has called on the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE) Dispute Resolution Committee to embrace reconciliation and allow the current leadership of the INC to remain in office, rather than conduct fresh elections.

In a position paper submitted to the seven-member committee chaired by HRM King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV, IPUA said the prolonged dispute arising from the April 13, 2026 INC elections could undermine the unity and collective aspirations of the Ijaw nation.

The group expressed concern over the lingering crisis following the election that produced chief Macdonald Igbadiwei as president of the INC, stressing that the Ijaw nation could not afford a protracted leadership tussle at a time when issues such as resource control, environmental justice, and political inclusion require a united front.

According to the position paper signed by the coordinator of IPUA, Elder Dennis Amaye Amakor, the organization believes in reconciliation rather than a repeat election which offers the best path to restoring harmony within the apex Ijaw socio-cultural body.

IPUA argued that allowing the current National Executive Council (NEC) to continue in office would prevent institutional paralysis, avoid further litigation, and enable the INC to focus on critical issues affecting Ijaw people, including the ongoing political developments in Rivers State.

The group also cited the need for continuity, noting that the Ijaw nation has historically resolved internal disagreements through dialogue, accommodation, and consensus-building rather than repeated reversals of decisions.

According to them, “Delegates who participated in the April 13 election exercised their democratic rights. Nullifying that mandate without fully exhausting reconciliation mechanisms would undermine the significance of their participation and sacrifice,”

IPUA further opposed calls for a fresh election, warning that another poll could worsen existing divisions and impose additional financial and security burdens on the organization.

It noted that conducting another election would further strain the finances of the INC, which former President Prof. Benjamin Okaba had acknowledged was not yet financially self-sustaining.