Diri Moves to Avert INC Crisis, Warns Against Split in Ijaw Nation

Governor of Douye Diri has warned that the Ijaw National Congress must not be allowed to descend into factional crisis, declaring that history would judge the Ijaw people harshly if personal ambitions were allowed to overshadow their collective cause.

The governor gave the warning on Tuesday at the Government House in Yenagoa while inaugurating an eight-member reconciliation committee tasked with resolving the lingering leadership dispute rocking the INC.

Speaking during the inauguration, Diri urged stakeholders across the Ijaw nation to rally behind efforts aimed at restoring unity and stability within the apex socio-cultural body.

According to the governor, the committee’s primary responsibility is to reconcile aggrieved parties within the congress and return the organisation to its founding ideals of unity, justice, and collective advancement.

“The baton of responsibility is in our hands. We must run our race with discipline, focus, and a firm commitment to the greater good,” Diri said.

He stressed that disagreements were natural in every human institution but warned that failure to manage them honourably could weaken the Ijaw struggle for political relevance and development.

“A few decades ago, I was privileged to be among leaders entrusted with the mandate to birth the Ijaw National Congress. Our purpose was clear — to forge a platform that would unite our people and advance the cause of a just and egalitarian society,” he stated.

The governor lamented that the recent inauguration of an INC national executive council outside the organisation’s traditional headquarters in Yenagoa, following a disputed election, was a departure from established convention.

He described the development as an aberration, noting that such ceremonies had historically been held at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa.

“At this critical juncture, we find ourselves distracted by sectional ambitions that threaten to weaken our collective force. History will not forgive us if personal interests eclipse the cause of our people,” he added.

Diri appealed to all stakeholders and members of the INC to cooperate with the reconciliation committee, insisting that the process was not about winners or losers but about “reconciliation, restoration, and renewal.”

The committee was given one month to complete its assignment and recommend measures to strengthen the organisation and reposition it for the future.

Responding on behalf of the committee, former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Matthew Seiyefa, acknowledged that the INC was passing through a difficult phase but expressed optimism that the crisis could become an opportunity for reflection and reform.

“After we have successfully traversed this sorry path, the new INC will become more consultative in harvesting the rich reservoir of experiences, knowledge, and perspectives within the Ijaw nation,” Seiyefa said.

He assured that the committee’s recommendations would have far-reaching implications for the future of the INC and the broader Ijaw nation.

Other members of the panel 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.

Former Presidential Amnesty Programme chairman, Kingsley Kuku, will serve as secretary of the committee, while Chief Patrick Erasmus will assist in the secretariat.