Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has called on stakeholders of the Ijaw ethnic nationality to unite in order to prevent a split within the Ijaw National Congress.
The governor warned that history would not forgive the Ijaw people if personal interests were allowed to override the collective aspirations and unity of the ethnic nationality.
Governor Diri made the appeal on Tuesday at Government House, Yenagoa, during the inauguration of an eight-member Reconciliation Committee set up to resolve the lingering crisis rocking the INC.
According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, the committee comprises representatives drawn from the western, central and eastern zones of the INC, while two members will serve in the secretariat.
The Bayelsa helmsman, popularly referred to as the Governor-General of the Ijaw nation, said the committee had been entrusted with the critical responsibility of reconciling aggrieved parties and restoring the INC to its original ideals of unity, justice and collective purpose.
He charged members of the panel to also develop recommendations and guidelines capable of strengthening the organisation and advancing the cause of the Ijaw people.
Governor Diri described the recent inauguration of a factional national executive council of the INC outside its traditional headquarters in Yenagoa as an aberration, noting that such ceremonies had historically been held at Ijaw House in the Bayelsa capital.
He appealed to all stakeholders and members of the congress to cooperate fully with the committee, stressing that the exercise was not about victors or losers but about reconciliation, restoration and renewal.
The governor gave the committee one month to complete its assignment.
“The baton of responsibility is in our hands. We must run our race with discipline, focus and unwavering commitment to the greater good,” Diri stated.
He noted that disagreements were inevitable in human affairs but warned that failure to manage them properly could weaken the Ijaw struggle and diminish the collective strength of the ethnic nationality.
Reflecting on the formation of the INC decades ago, Diri recalled that its founding vision was to unite the Ijaw people, articulate their collective aspirations and ensure they occupied their rightful place in the Nigerian federation.
“At this critical juncture, we find ourselves distracted by private and sectional ambitions that threaten to weaken our collective force. History will not forgive us if we allow personal interests to eclipse the cause of our people,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the committee, former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Dr. Matthew Seiyefa, described the current crisis within the INC as unfortunate but said it also provided an opportunity for introspection and reform.
Seiyefa expressed confidence that the reconciliation process would reposition the INC to become more inclusive and consultative in addressing issues affecting the Ijaw nation.
He added that the outcome of the committee’s work would have far-reaching implications for the future of both the INC and the Ijaw people.
Other members of the committee include former Minister of Police Affairs, Alaowei Brodrick Bozimo; former INC President, Chief Joshua Fumudoh; National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Dr. Boladei Igali; the Amayanabo of Kala-Ogoloma in Rivers State, King Goddy Idaminabo; and former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Alabo Gabriel Toby.
Former Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs and ex-Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr. Kingsley Kuku, will serve as secretary of the committee, while Chief Patrick Erasmus, Special Adviser on Ijaw Affairs to the Bayelsa State Government, will serve in the secretariat.
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