Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has stepped in to resolve the internal crisis within the Ijaw National Congress (INC) following the cancellation of the organisation’s national elections.
At a high-level meeting held at the Government House in Yenagoa, presidential aspirants agreed to withdraw all pending court cases and embrace dialogue in the interest of unity within the Ijaw ethnic nationality.
The INC had scheduled its national congress for March 7, 2026, to elect a new leadership for the pan-Ijaw socio-cultural body.
However, the process was halted after aggrieved aspirants obtained a court injunction, triggering tensions within the organisation.
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In a bid to restore calm, Governor Diri convened a closed-door reconciliation meeting presided over by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, where stakeholders resolved to pursue peace and avoid further legal disputes.

Speaking after the meeting, leaders of the INC, including its President Professor Benjamin Okaba, reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the unity and stability of the Ijaw nation above personal ambitions.
The INC electoral committee is expected to announce a new date for the congress in the coming days.
(Editor: Ada Ononye)

