President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Comrade Jonathan Lokpobiri, has faulted allegations that he plotted to install a candidate that will be loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, during the recent IYC Eastern Zonal chairmanship election in Abuloma Town, Rivers State.
He also maintained that he had no personal interest in the race, and that his reluctance to accept the frantic attempts to impose a single candidate against the wishes of Ijaw youths and the Constitution had been misconstrued by some Eastern zone leaders and stakeholders.
Addressing a press briefing at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, in Yenagoa, Lokpobiri, expressed his disappointment over the violence that marred the zonal election held over the weekend in Rivers State, where scores of youths were reportedly killed and properties destroyed.
Lokpobiri claimed that some zone stakeholders attempted to subvert the electoral process by declaring their nominee unopposed for the Eastern zone chairmanship position.
He said "One Kalabari leader who is an INC executive raised the issue that they have agreed as Kalabari leaders, that their leader has chosen a candidate through an internal election amongst themselves and they as leaders have chosen one Datolo, as the sole candidate for the chairmanship position, so the rest of the people must not be allowed to do this election.
"I spoke and said that I have no interest in the election. I denounced the story making the rounds that if some persons are elected they will not support Governor Sim Fubara. I said we are all bound by duty to morally and in obligation we took as our oath to protect all sons and daughters of Ijaw nation, so let us dispel this rumor that some people will not work for Fubara. "
He added: "For clarity, this story that I am no longer the same person who supported Fubara and am working for Wike is an argument I consider quite shallow but that all sons and daughters of Kalabari have a right to contest the election if they so wish. We have upheld the election that produced the chairman even though it came under very questionable circumstances because of the violence that was meted on Ijaw people.
"My appeal here is that this is not meant to indict anybody but it is to set the record straight, so that the public do not vilify us for not doing anything. Therefore it became necessary to inform the world that this is what led to the numbers or death with several people and properties destroyed. The king's house was also invaded by the community youths of Abuloma for inviting IYC and death to their community.
'Let me also inform the world that we have done similar elections in Okochiri, where our respected king, his Royal Majesty Ateke Tom hails from. All the candidates of their interest failed in that election, they were just direct observers in that election, nobody was wounded and we all left there safely.
"What is so different in just a zonal election that I have something personal to benefit from that will lead to the death of Ijaw youths that we should protect? These are questions that I will like the press to ask those responsible for these violence, death and mayhem which were avoidable", Lokpobiri said.
