Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa has called on stakeholders of the Ijaw ethnic nationality to unite in defence of the Ijaw National Congress, warning that history would not forgive the present generation if personal interests were allowed to divide the body.
The governor made the appeal on Tuesday at Government House in Yenagoa while inaugurating an eight-member reconciliation committee tasked with resolving the lingering leadership crisis within the INC.
Diri stressed that the unity of the Ijaw nation must take precedence over sectional ambitions and internal disputes, noting that the INC was established as a collective platform to advance the interests and aspirations of the Ijaw people.
According to a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, the committee comprises representatives from the western, central, and eastern zones of the INC, alongside members designated to coordinate the secretariat.
The governor, often referred to as the “Governor-General” of the Ijaw nation, charged the committee with the responsibility of reconciling aggrieved individuals and restoring the congress to its founding ideals of unity, consultation, and collective purpose.
He also directed the panel to develop recommendations and guidelines capable of strengthening the organisation and repositioning it to effectively champion the interests of the Ijaw people.
Diri described the recent inauguration of an INC national executive council outside the organisation’s traditional headquarters at Ijaw House in Yenagoa as an abnormal development, especially following controversies surrounding the disputed election that produced the leadership.
He appealed to all stakeholders and members of the congress to cooperate fully with the reconciliation process, insisting that the moment called for healing rather than division.
“This is not a moment for winners or losers but a moment for reconciliation, restoration, and renewal,” the governor stated.
Reflecting on the origins of the INC, Diri recalled his involvement in the formation of the organisation decades ago alongside notable Ijaw leaders.
He said the vision behind the congress was to create a unified platform that would project the voice of the Ijaw nation and contribute meaningfully to national development.
“At this critical juncture, we find ourselves distracted by private and sectional ambitions that threaten to dull our edge and weaken our collective force,” he said, warning that the Ijaw nation could not afford prolonged internal discord.
The governor gave the committee one month to complete its assignment and submit its recommendations.
Responding on behalf of the committee, former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Matthew Seiyefa, who chairs the panel, acknowledged that the INC was passing through a difficult period but noted that the crisis also presented an opportunity for reflection and institutional renewal.
Seiyefa expressed optimism that the reconciliation effort would help reposition the organisation into a more consultative and inclusive body capable of harnessing the knowledge, experience, and perspectives of the Ijaw people.
Other members of the committee include former Minister of Police Affairs, Alaowei Brodrick Bozimo; former INC President, Joshua Fumudoh; National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Boladei Igali; the Amayanabo of Kala-Ogoloma, King Goddy Idaminabo; and former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Gabriel Toby.
Also appointed into the committee secretariat are former Presidential Amnesty Programme Chairman, Kingsley Kuku, who will serve as secretary, and former Bayelsa Commissioner for Ijaw National Affairs, Patrick Erasmus.
Political observers believed the intervention by Governor Diri may play a significant role in restoring stability within the INC and preserving the unity of the Ijaw nation amid rising tensions within the organisation.
