𝗜𝗡𝗩𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗡𝗖 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲, 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱?

𝗕𝗬 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗔 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘,

8𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, 2026.

The planned national election of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the apex socio-cultural body representing the Ijaw people, has been suspended following a leadership dispute and an interim court order issued by a High Court in Port Harcourt.

The election, which was scheduled to hold on March 7, 2026, was halted after a suit challenged aspects of the electoral process, prompting the court to intervene.

The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt issued an interim injunction restraining the INC and its electoral committee from conducting the national election pending the resolution of the dispute.

The suit was filed by High Chief Macdonald Igbadiwei, who alleged that he was unjustly excluded from contesting the position of National President of the congress.

Presiding over the matter, Justice S. H. Aprioku directed all parties involved in the dispute to explore internal mechanisms for settlement through the organization’s Internal Dispute Resolution Committee.

The court gave the parties seven days to resolve the matter, warning that the case would return for further hearing if an agreement is not reached.

Following the court directive and consultations among leaders and stakeholders of the Ijaw nation, the congress resolved that the national election would not hold as previously scheduled.

Sources within the organization said the decision was taken to prevent further escalation of the dispute and to preserve unity within the body, which represents millions of Ijaw people across the Niger Delta region.

Observers believe the move reflects an effort by the leadership of the congress to respect both the judicial process and the organization’s internal conflict-resolution procedures.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗼 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗡𝗖 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲?

Investigations into the crisis that led to the suspension of the national election of the Ijaw National Congress by NigerDelta Voice indicates that the dispute began during the screening of aspirants for the position of national president.

According to reports from stakeholders within the organization, the election committee disqualified a number of aspirants on the grounds that they did not meet the constitutional requirements for contesting the position, particularly those relating to membership status.

Among those reportedly affected by the screening decision was High Chief MacDonald Igbadiwei, a presidential aspirant who was barred from participating in the election. Igbadiwei later challenged the decision in court, alleging that the electoral committee deliberately attempted to exclude him from the race despite his compliance with the requirements.

He maintained that he had purchased the presidential nomination form for ₦1 million, submitted the necessary documentation and endorsements, and satisfied the constitutional conditions for contesting the position.

Following his disqualification, Igbadiwei approached the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, seeking legal redress. The court subsequently issued an interim injunction restraining the conduct of the national election scheduled for March 7, 2026, pending the determination of the case.

Another aspirant reportedly affected by the screening process was Timi-Kaiser Ogoriba, who was also disqualified by the committee. Reports indicate that the decision was based on claims that he did not meet the membership requirement stipulated by the organization’s constitution.

Sources within the congress further revealed that several other aspirants were screened out during the process. The reasons cited included failure to meet the minimum membership duration and questions surrounding proper registration within the organization.

The situation later became more controversial after some Ijaw stakeholder groups alleged that the electoral committee had reversed earlier disqualification decisions involving certain candidates. The alleged reversal raised concerns among members who feared it could compromise the transparency and credibility of the election.

The growing disagreement eventually escalated into a legal and organizational crisis, forcing the leadership of the congress to suspend the planned election while efforts are made to resolve the dispute through internal mechanisms and the judicial process.

The development has since deepened divisions within the congress, with stakeholders calling for strict adherence to the constitution of the organization in order to restore confidence in the electoral process.

𝗔 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗡𝗖 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝘁𝘀 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

The Ijaw National Congress was established in 1991 as the umbrella socio-cultural organization representing the interests of the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

The body bring together Ijaw communities across several states in the Niger Delta, including Bayelsa State, Rivers State, Delta State, Edo State, Ondo State, and Akwa Ibom State.

Over the years, the congress has played a key role in advocating for resource control, environmental justice, political inclusion, and development of oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta.

Leadership elections within the congress are typically conducted during national conventions attended by delegates representing Ijaw communities across the region.

The 1995 Third Ijaw National Convention produced J. B. Fumudoh as one of the early presidents of the organization.

In 2021, the congress elected Benjamin Ogele Okaba as the 8th National President during a convention held at Ijaw House in Yenagoa.

The 2026 election was expected to determine the next leadership of the organization and influence the direction of Ijaw advocacy in the coming years.

Attention has now shifted to the Internal Dispute Resolution Committee, which has been mandated to mediate the issues within seven days as directed by the court.

If the dispute is resolved internally, the congress may proceed with arrangements for a new election date.

However, if the parties fail to reach an agreement, the matter will return to the High Court in Port Harcourt on March 18, 2026, when the legal proceedings are expected to continue.

For now, the INC national election remains suspended, as leaders and stakeholders continue consultations aimed at preserving unity within one of the most influential socio-cultural organizations in the Niger Delta.