Controversy Trails IYC Elections

The purported election of
Comrade Udenz Eradiri, as the President Of Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, is now an issue of controversy, as one of the electoral committee member disclaimed the results.
The member, Comrade Nengi James,who is also the State Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation and past acting President of IYC,said though he is not against the emergence of Comrade Udenz Eradiri as a person but the processes that led to his declaration which was faulty and did not follow due process.
Comrade Nengi James, while briefing newsmen in Yenagoa, said as a member of the electoral committee and the 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.
According to Nengi James, the Monday conduct of the IYC election was aborted after due consultation with various election observers including the representatives of the Ijaw National Congress (INC),Chief Kalaite Jephthah, the Good Governance for Grassroots led by Godwin Ebele and the Observer Youth Alliance led by Godspower  Igwe.”
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 continues on Tuesday. I declared, after a call to the secretary, that if such election is not known to me, I will not be part of it. I am challenging the eletoral committee  chairman and secretary to come out with visual evidence that I was part of the election that brought about the emergence of Eradiri.”
“If such credible information is not given on the charade called election, it means the IYC is dead. I am not against the candidate announced by the so called Eleco. But what I am against is the maligned process of the election. I believe invisible hands are at stake. I challenge the Eleco to come out with confirmation that election held on Tuesday.”
Nengi’s position was buttressed by 16 other candidates who contested the election, at different press briefings, they alleged that the result was unilaterally declared in favour of Eradiri even though the election was inconclusive.

FRSC Zonal Commander in Benin, Mr Charles Akpabjo launching the 2013 “Ember Month” campaign in Asaba last Friday.