Okaba Leadership: Aggrieved Ijaw Leaders Seek Diri’s Intervention

Some aggrieved members of the National Executive Council (NEC), of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the apex Ijaw socio-political and cultural organisation, have expressed dissatisfaction with the way its president, Professor Benjamin Okaba is running the affairs of the organisation.

The ljaw leaders have accused Prof Okaba of several constitutional breaches which is causing disaffection among members of NEC. They appealed to the Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri to intervene by calling for a meeting of the NEC in order to resolve the various issues bedeviling the NEC and INC before it gets out of control.

LEADERSHIP had gathered that an elder statesman and Ijaw Leader, Pa Edwin Clark had last year mediated in the crisis between the president and some members of the executive council, however, it appears the discord still persists.

According to a letter which was addressed to Governor Diri in Yenagoa, the aggrieved Ijaw leaders alleged on record the maladministration and violations of the INC constitution by the president.

“There are several cases of constitutional breach by the President and this is causing disaffection among members of NEC. So much secrecy over NEC/INC matters, issues, programs, and activities. It becomes worse when it involves finances.

“There is a motive behind every secrecy. The INC is a public organization owned by Ijaw People and as an elected officers owe the electorates a duty to inform them of our programs and activities. It is said that a Cabal has hijacked the President. Only the cabal members know how the INC is administered.

“Your Excellency, may we have the privilege of praying for your urgent intervention by calling for a meeting of the NEC with you. We have trust and belief in your ability and capacity to manage and resolve the various issues bedeviling the NEC/INC before it blows out of control”, the letter reads.

In reaction to the allegations, the president of INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, said that whatsoever crisis that may exist is been handled appropriately, adding that Pa Edwin Clark is still intervening.

Okaba said: “There is no crisis in INC, forget about all those things, in fact, Pa E. K. Clark who is the Board of Trustees, BoT, Chairman of INC, has invited us and we have already started talking.

“INC has some methods of resolving issues. Internal mechanisms for conflict resolution are already there and we have already started them. So, you can discountenance that there is no crisis in INC exco.”