Governor of Bayelsa state, Senator Douye Diri, Tuesday, took steps to end the protracted factional leadership crisis in the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC).
At a meeting with both factions and other stakeholders at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa, Governor Diri advised the factional leaders, Jonathan Lokpobiri and Dr. Theophilus Alaye, to jettison their differences and work together in the larger interest of the Ijaw nation.
He also urged them to embrace peace in order to conduct a united elective convention that would produce a leader that is acceptable to the IYC and the ethnic nationality.
The Bayelsa governor enjoined the ethnic nationality’s foremost youth organisation to conduct its election in accordance with its constitution, stressing the need to elect a leader that had the interest of the Ijaw nation at heart.
Senator Diri, who invited Lokpobiri and Alaye to the podium, urged them to sheathe their swords and publicly shake hands, noting that beyond fame and fortune, what mattered most were the virtues of love, brotherliness, peace and unity of the Ijaw people.
He advised the youth leaders to learn from the recent crisis that rocked the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and toe the path of peace for the sake of unity.
He said: “Let us not pretend. As Ijaws, we are not where we want to be but we have come a long way. Ijaw youths will be one and they will be united. We might be looking for fame and fortune but there is something that stands beyond that, which is love and unity.
“Lokpobiri and Alaye should work together and ensure that the IYC election does not go the way of the INC election. But they should learn from their mistakes and conduct a peaceful, free, fair and transparent election.
“As usual, l am not imposing any candidate. We need someone who has the interest of Ijaw nation at heart and that will fly our flag. We cannot be divided at this time. We can no longer have a factional leadership in the IYC.”