Yenagoa: A coalition of Ijaw leaders and elders have urged the Ijaw National Congress (INC) leadership to respect constitutional provisions in order to resolve issues arising from the body’s ongoing electoral process.
The stakeholders made up of traditional rulers, academics, retired military officers, and activists among others made the call on Friday in a statement made available to newsmen.
In the statement signed by Chief Bukazi Etete, Roland Ekperi, Chief Amagbe Kentebe, and Ann Kio Briggs among others, the stakeholders emphasised the need to uphold the supremacy of INC constitution.
It will be recalled that INC election initially scheduled for March 7, was stopped following a court injunction granted on March 6.
The Justice F.F. Tabai-led election committee had reversed its initial position that disqualified some candidates for the election.
Following the election committee’s decision, some aggrieved members of the body sought redress in court.
Meanwhile the Ijaw stakeholders have urged the election committee to ensure fairness and transparency in the process.
They urged traditional rulers, opinion leaders and elder statesmen in Ijaw nation to act as ‘guardians of fairness, wisdom, and institutional balance’
“Ijaw people all over the world are urged to remain peaceful, vigilant, and unwavering in support of the INC constitution.
“Strong nations resolve disagreements through principled institutions. We should support transparency in the electoral process in the interest of our unity, they said.
The coalition further cautioned that any attempt to weaken the INC constitution could diminish the organisation’s authority to represent the Ijaw people.
