The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Eastern Zone election, held at the Great Opobo Clan on September 7, 2024, has been nullified due to a vote of no confidence passed on the Zonal Electoral Committee (ZECO) by the President of the 9th National Executive Council (NEC), Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri.
After consulting with stakeholders and elders, President Lokpobiri deemed it necessary to cancel the election due to incompetence and credibility issues with the delegate list used by ZECO. The decision was unanimous, aligning with the concerns of various clans and zonal stakeholders.
The clan representatives had protested the delegate list, citing gross misrepresentation and manipulation. President Lokpobiri exercised his veto power to annul the election and rescheduled it for next Saturday.
He urged clan leaders to work with ZECO to resolve outstanding issues, harmonize factions, and create a transparent and unified delegate list to avoid further escalation of the crisis. A new election date has been set for next Saturday.
