By Julius Agadaga, Yenagoa
The vice presidential aspirant for the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, has expressed confidence that his clan, Tuomo, is poised to produce the organization’s first vice president in the forthcoming National Executive Council (NEC) elections.
Speaking to newsmen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, Oyakemeagbegha, who is also the group’s spokesman, said, stakeholders in the Western zone, which comprises Ijaws of Delta, Edo, and Ondo states, have prevailed on him to run for the office.
He highlighted his achievements as the INC’s Publicity Scribe, noting that the organization’s voice has been heard globally under his watch.
Oyakemeagbegha also commended the outgoing national executive council for its remarkable achievements, including the production of a map identifying Ijaw communities and territories, which he said has halted attempts by other ethnic groups to annex Ijaw territories.
He pledged to be more committed to the growth and development of Ijaw land if elected as vice Presidential of the group.
“Though it may not be constitutional, however, stakeholders from the Western zone of the INC met and micro zoned the position of 1st Vice President in the forthcoming national elections to my clan, Tuomo.
“Stakeholders from the zone also in their wisdom, after due consultations and considerations called on me to contest for the position of the 1st Vice President which is zoned to the Western zone because of my trajectory of meritorious service to the Ijaw nation as Publicity Secretary in the outgoing national executive council (NEC) of the INC”, he said.
“Before our emergence as NEC members, certain ethnic-based groups in Nigeria, particularly IPOB almost annexed parts of Ijaw territories as theirs, but we said No.
“We’ve since produced a map showing and identifying all Ijaw communities in Nigeria. And so this and many others are some of our achievements working in synergy as members of NEC. By God’s grace I’ll win. When elected I intend to do more as 1st Vice President of the INC for the Ijaw nation”, Oyakemeagbegha added.
