A legal dispute has stalled the planned leadership transition of the Ijaw National Congress, with conflicting court orders creating uncertainty over the inauguration of officials elected on April 13, 2026.
The Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders said the planned swearing-in would be futile due to subsisting injunctions. CITRE Chairman King Bubaraye Dakolo, who also chairs the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, said only a traditional ruler appointed by CITRE is constitutionally empowered to inaugurate the national executive council.
Speaking in Yenagoa, Dakolo cited two separate court orders restraining the process. A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Sobere Bionko, issued an interim injunction on April 8 restraining CITRE, outgoing INC President Prof. Benjamin Okaba, and Electoral Committee Chairman Justice Francis Tabai (rtd) from swearing in any officials. The suit was filed by Pastor Victor Burubo, Eneyo Athanasius Emmanuel and Ekene Okeigbeye.
A Yenagoa High Court, under Justice Amadise Michael Ekadi, also ordered parties to maintain the status quo on April 12 in a suit filed by presidential candidate Rear Admiral Geoffrey Yanga. That matter was adjourned to April 14, the date set for the inauguration.
CITRE said it also holds a counter order from the Delta State High Court in Warri, where Justice Anthony Olotu Akpovi restrained the body from postponing or truncating the inauguration. That order was secured by Mr. McDonald Igbadiwei, declared winner of the April 13 election.
Dakolo declared the election null and void over alleged constitutional breaches and warned that CITRE would assume control of the INC from April 14 if a leadership vacuum emerges after Okaba’s tenure expires.
Prof. Okaba confirmed the inauguration would still hold on April 14 at a venue yet to be announced. Outgoing Vice President 1 Alabo Nengi James, who boycotted the election, said he would not attend and would hand over all INC documents as required by the constitution.
The dispute persists despite an earlier appeal by Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri for parties to suspend the inauguration pending an out-of-court resolution.
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