Jesse Ese, Yenagoa
The crisis which was hitting the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) after the election which was held last year has been resolved as the factional groups agreed to unite in order to actualise President Goodluck Jonathan’s ambition in 2015.
While briefing newsmen about their desire to resolve the issues surrounding the October 2013 elections last Saturday in Yenagoa, 10 of the 17 presidential candidates said they will work with Udengs Eradiri who was declared president.
Claudius Egba, one of the presidential candidates said they formally resolved to shelve their differences and work with Eradiri for the greater benefit of actualising President Jonathan’s 2015 ambition should he declare intention to run.
Egba also denounced insinuations that some aggrieved youths were holding an election at Okrika in Rivers State saying it is a breach of IYC legal process and contrary to advice from their patron and Ijaw leader, Edwin Clark.
According to him, the elder statesman, Clark had instructed them not to hold the election but assured that information at his disposal said the election was put off.
Earlier, one of the presidential candidates, Joshua Amangala also reiterated that Clark and other prominent Ijaw leaders all over the world “impressed on us the need to sheathe our swords and work with the IYC President, Udengs Eradiri.”
Amangala said although some of them had gone to court over the election, he and others have met those in court and they are in the process of resting all court processes.
Kenneth Olorogun, another presidential candidate disclosed that they will be a larger meeting to resolve all other pending issues which will be attended by candidates who contested other positions.
Udengs Eradiri, IYC president, described 2014 a delicate year to the Ijaw man owing to a number of activities that are crucial to the country due to the proposed national dialogue.
Eradiri expressed appreciation to all the presidential candidates for their disposition and apologised for any offence on his part while stressing the need to remain peaceful and work together to move Ijaw nation forward.
He urged all to work together to realise the Ijaw agenda ahead of the national dialogue and support President Jonathan in he forthcoming presidential election in 2015.
