Comrade Udengs Eradiri |
Report has it that, foremost Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clarke, presided at the meeting were other prominent Ijaw sons, Chief Tonye Graham Douglas and former NDDC top-shot, Timi Alaibe were in attendance. The meeting was said to have critically examined the unprecedented bad blood generated by the most controversial election of the IYC held in the Bayelsa State Capital Yenagoa on the 28th of October 2013.
It will be recalled that, that election, provoked a strong protest that took the aggrieved majority to a protest in the State capital, Yenagoa which spread like wildfire and engulfed Mbiama Town and barricade of the East West road by the protesters.
The protest was midwifed by a groundswell allegations that there was the hand of the state government in the affairs of the Ijaw Youth body, which they said led to the emergence of four elected presidents of the IYC, with Udengs Eradiri been paraded as the recognized victor by the Restoration government led by Chief Seriake Dickson, while other contestants also paraded themselves as elected. Media report on the election has this to say:
" Although the. Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Comrade Sunny Dilitolofari in a news conference after the election declared, comrade 'Udenz' Eradiri winner of the controversial presidential election, Comrade Elvis Donkemezuo, Comrade Jonathan Lokpobiri and Nengi Ikiba who also contested the election claimed to have been elected the president of the council."
The election was widely condemned by both members of the body and the general public not only in Yenagoa but all over the world The media continued to give the true picture of what transpired, read this:
"A member of the Electoral Committee of the just concluded Ijaw Youth Council,IYC, worldwide national convention Nengi James, has distanced himself from the outcome of the poll, saying that it was faulty and didn't follow due process."
While that was happening, they went ahead with the news in defiance to the popular opinion of irregularities and upheld the imposition of the ousted Udengs Eradiri who allegedly had a strong backing by the brick house in Yenagoa.
And it was the tension generated from that election that made the President of the Ijaw National Congress Senator Tari Selibo [late] to visit Bayelsa State to meet with Governor Dickson to find answers to the boiling IYC before his sudden death in Yenagoa. That was also reported:
"Sekibo and other members of the INC Exco were scheduled to meet Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson at 3.00pm...over the lingering crisis that has 'continue' to trail the October 28 Ijaw Youth Council [IYC], elections.
The Ijaw National Congress is the Umbrella body of all Izon, and the IYC is the youth wing created out of the parent body which according to the principles of due process must conduct affairs in line with the ideals of Peace and Unity which were the pillars of the founding fathers of the Izon Ethnic Nationality.
The Ijaw leaders have announced that a caretaker Committee will soon be constituted to hold brief for the IYC that will work a new date for elections.