INC 2026: IYC ex-President, Others Charge Aspirants On Continuous Development

…As Jon Jon Praises Ogoriba’s Candidacy

…We’ll Conduct Transparent, Credible Election — ELECO

Stakeholders of Ijaw nation have charged aspirants for elective positions into the forthcoming national executive council(NEC) of the apex Ijaw sociocultural organisation, the Ijaw National Congress(INC), to focus on the development of the body when elected into offices.

Fielding questions from newsmen midweek, the duo of former President of the Ijaw Youth Council(IYC Worldwide), Alaowei(Dr) Oyeinfie Emmanuel Jon Jon and ex-Commissioner for Ijaw National Affairs, Elder Patrick Erasmus advised contestants in the elections to be magnanimous in victory and focus more on working for the development of the Ijaw nation and shun parochialism.

The duo argued that though the outgoing National Executive Council of the body has done her best, there was more for the incoming one to achieve for the ethnic nationality, describing the forthcoming polls as sacrosanct.

The Stakeholders who spoke at different instances in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital commended the Professor Benjamin Okaba led National Executive Council for sticking to the timelines in the INC constitution for the conduct of elections.

However, they expressed dismay over the alleged lack of enough Ijaw consciousness at the community levels of the INC.

X-raying the cost of forms for the polls, the ex-Commissioner called on the electoral umpire to reconsider the price tags of the nomination forms, saying N1m, N700,000 and N500,000 may not be affordable to some qualified and interested Ijaws who may want to vye for positions in the 2026 elections.

“I’ve tried to reach members of the electoral committee to plead with them on the possibility of reducing the price of the nomination forms, but we’ve not really talked. As it were, most qualified and Ijaw conscious individuals who are desirous of contesting the 2026 NEC elections may not be able to do so due to the cost of forms”, the ex-Commissioner said.

In his analysis of candidates who have picked forms for the office of President, the IYC ex-President who doubles as Technical Adviser to the State Governor on Ijaw National Affairs, Jon Jon described one of the aspirants, Elder Timi Kaiser-Wilhelm Ogoriba as most qualified of all.

“Though all of the four aspirants who have picked nominations forms for the office of President are eminently qualified, but Elder T. K. Ogoriba has paid the most prize and sacrifice for Ijaw nation, even before the formation of the INC and the IYC.

“For me as a person and one time President of the IYC, I like to say that though all of the four persons who have picked interest forms for the office of the President are qualified, I most honestly prefer Ogoriba to any other person. Elder TKO understands the Ijaw struggle more than others. Before the formation of the INC he has been there fighting for the Ijaw course”, he said.

Meanwhile, the INC electoral committee headed by a renoun Jurist and Royal father, HRM Justice Tabai(rtd) have reassured the Ijaw nation and all aspirants of a free, transparent and credible elections.

Speaking on behalf the umpire, its member, Chief(Dr) Ebizimo Okolo said the committee would replicate the same feat achieved by the electoral committee which conducted the elections that brought the Prof. Okaba led National Executive Council into office, describing that election as freest and fairest conducted in recent times.

“We’ve assured Ijaw nation and all aspirants that we’ll conduct free and very transparent poll. All candidates should go and canvass for support. Delegates will vote electronically. We tend to replicate the feat achieved by the ELECO that conducted the last NEC elections. Some of us were part of that process and so we’re serious and desirous of conducting an election that will stand the test of time.

“The INC constitution made provision for 14 elective offices. As we speak aspirants bought forms to contest for all the 14 offices. However, the constitution says upon the election of the members of the national executive council(NEC), the three zonal Chairmen are also automatic members of NEC.

“We’ll send delegates all the details they need on how to vote through their emails. And no body could vote more than once. Infact delegates may not even need to come to the venue of the election on the D-Day” the electoral committee said.