Police warn protesting youths over IYC election in Bayelsa

Culled from the Vanguard 
Yenagoa—The Police in Bayelsa State, yesterday, warned Ijaw youths against their continued protest and blockade of the East-West Road over Monday’s contentious conduct of the Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, national convention, which led to the emergence of Udengs Eradiri as its President.

Acting Public Relations Officer, Peter Ogboi, in a statement, said though the conduct of the exercise ended on Tuesday, the delegates and their supporters still in Yenagoa should be law abiding and desist from acts capable of leading to a breakdown of law and order.

He said: “This is to inform the general public that the Ijaw Youth Council’s general election, which started on October 28 ended successfully the next day. All persons who converged in Yenagoa for the election should therefore, leave for their various places.

“However, persons who came for the election, who may wish to stay behind for any reason, are advised to be law abiding. The command places great premium on the security of lives and property.

“They are therefore advised to conduct themselves peacefully and not run foul of the law as there are obvious consequences.”
Meanwhile, the President-elect of the Ijaw Youth Council, Eradiri, yesterday, described as free and fair, the national convention of the council, where he was elected.

He said though some elements tried to disrupt the proceedings with the destruction of some ballot papers and manhandling of his supporters, the delegates at the convention voted for him overwhelmingly.

“Those involved in the protest are entities that cannot win elections. With the blockage of the East-West Road on Tuesday, they have shown that they are not qualified to lead the Ijaw people. I have served creditably and campaigned for the election, why won’t I win the election,” he queried.

….As electoral c’ttee member distances self from IYC result

Yenagoa—A member of the electoral committee of the just concluded Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, worldwide national convention, Nengi James, has distanced himself from the outcome of the poll, saying that it was faulty and didn’t follow due process.

Udengs Eradiri was, Tuesday, declared as the elected President of the Ijaw youth body by the Sunny Diritolofari-led electoral committee.

But James, said yesterday in Yenagoa, that as a member of the electoral committee and a vote counting officer in the inconclusive election of Monday, the secret and sudden declaration of the result of the President, Deputy President, Secretary and Assistant Secretary, was done without his participation and presence.

He said that the Monday conduct of IYC election was aborted after due consultation with vario
us election observers, including the representatives of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, the Good Governance for Grassroots and the Observer Youth Alliance.

“We did credible work from accreditation to voting, but at the point of counting, I discovered that the votes exceeded 99 votes and all the aspirants agreed that we abort the poll on Monday. I was surprised that the next morning, I heard announcement on radio that the election continued on Tuesday. I said after a call to the Secretary that if such election is not known to me, I will not be part of it. I challenge the election committee Chairman and Secretary to produce visual evidence that I was part of the election that produced Eradiri.”