2015: Jonathan's Kinsmen In Disarray As Ijaw Elders Sing Discordant Tunes On Ijaw Youth Leadership Crisis

Loyalists of President Goodluck Jonathan are in a state of disarray over the lingering leadership crisis in the umbrella body of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), the youth group normally deployed for ‘election duties.’   A faction of the Ijaw leaders led by Chief Edwin Clark and which includes the Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson and Chief Francis Dokpoular, is promoting the election of Comrade Udenz Eradiri election as President of the IYC.  

Eradiri emerged leader of the youth body in a controversial election in October 2013 which was described as “inconclusive” by most contestants.  

A different faction spearheaded by the indicted former governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Mr. Kingsley Kuku and ex-militant leader Ateke Tom are insisting on a fresh election into the executive positions of the IYC based on the incessant protest by aggrieved members of the youth council.  

Clark had endorsed a fresh election at a consultative meeting held on the 5th of January at Ekiagbodo community in Delta State, but made a summersault after being ‘briefed’ by Governor Dickson.   Clark subsequently went to town with his new brief.  

The intervention of Clark however led to over 10 aspirants in the controversial election abandoning their quest for fresh election, but another six aspirants are insisting on one.   The option being canvassed by Alamieyeseigha and Kuku that a fresh election be conducted in the next one week has drawn the battle line between them on one hand, and Gov. Dickson and Clark on the other.  

The Alamieyeseigha-led group maintains that the cancellation of the October 29 election remains the only path to peace in the IYC.   "The proposed election at Okusiri community in Okhirika would have solved the crises and put the IYC in a position for 2015," the group said.  

An executive member of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) who wished to remain anonymous, expressed concern over the development.   “It is not right for the elders like E.K Clark to agree at a meeting for fresh election and recant at another meeting that the meeting should not hold,” he said.  “Clark has become a problem."  

Condemning the division among the Ijaw elders, the source added that "the agitation by the candidates and the crises within the IYC is based on fairness and rule of law."  

It was gathered that the recent official release of the election timetable for the 2015 elections may have triggered the pressure to prepare the foot soldiers for the task ahead, and the current jostling for places.