By Emem Idio, Yenagoa
The Chairman of National Council of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders, N-CITRE, HRM, King Bubaraye Dakolo Agada IV, Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, Chairman of Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council, has insisted that the planned inauguration of new executives of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, will only amount to an exercise in futility as there are subsisting court orders stopping the swearing in.
Meanwhile, the outgoing INC President Prof Benjamin Okaba whose tenure expires on Thursday (today), it was gathered, has vowed to go on with the swearing-in despite calls by the Governor of Bayelsa State Senator Douye Diri to shelve the swearing-in ceremony.
The N-CITRE Chairman, in a chat with newsmen in Yenagoa, yesterday explained that the INC Constitution has explained that the responsibility of swearing in a new executives is that of CITRE, adding that any swearing-in by none other will amount to a nulity
King Dakolo advised all Ijaw people to give peace a chance, discuss and reason like human beings as the INC is not a youth organization.
His words: “The INC Constitution has explained that the responsibility of swearing in a new executives is that of CITRE and I am Chairman of CITRE and I have not authorized anybody else in CITRE to do that and I will not.
“So if anyone else is trying to take my position for instance, then he is an imposter and why should that happen when I am not incapacitated .
” We have received subsisting court order from a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt restraining N-CITRE from inaugurating a new exco, and another court injunction from a Bayelsa State High Court ruled on May 12, that all parties should maintain the status quo, and another court injunction from Warri High Court 2, saying that the inauguration can take place anywhere. So we have three courts orders, two saying don’t and one saying go ahead.
“As an Ijaw man , nothing pains me than this nonsense because if you look at my life, it has been a life of unquantifiable sacrifice and agony because I am an Ijaw man. Most of the things that have happened to me, if I was not Ijaw they won’t happen to me ..So my being Ijaw and also identifying as Ijaw has actually given me a lot of troubles.
“There is a rule for everything and certain persons do not want to follow for a second , they just want to take charge and that is not the way to take charge if we must move forward. This is just to say that there are court orders that are barring CITRE or ELECO from doing anything. However for someone to avoid proceedings to go and do it anyway speaks volumes.
“They will be representing themselves, because it will not be accepted . I think that whatever that goes on in respect to swearing any body in on Thursday will still be an exercise in futility and will remain so. I am advising that all Ijaw people to give peace a chance, discuss and reason like human beings because this is not a youth organization.”
Source: Vanguard News