The Bayelsa State government has announced the indefinite suspension of the rerun election to produce a substantive President of the state chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. It also announced the total disbandment of the Electoral Committee that conducted the election, which ended in a stalemate on 23 February 2025.
According to the government, the committee fell short of expectations in the performance of its duties. Speaking at a meeting with leaders and stakeholders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the state at Government House, Yenagoa, the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, warned those planning to participate in the rerun election to have a change of mind in their own interest. The Deputy Governor, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, at the weekend, explained that the state government decided to intervene to promote peace and harmony among the Igbos in Bayelsa, as well as to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
According to Senator Ewhrudjakpo, the government has already given directives to security agencies to arrest and prosecute whoever violates its directives concerning the election of the state president of Ohanaeze. He acknowledged the supportive role being played by Igbos in the development of Bayelsa and urged them to continue to live as brothers and sisters and never allow the issue of electing a new leadership to divide them.
His words: “As a government, we appreciate what you have are doing for our state. You are outstanding and that is why we respect you. This is the first time we are meeting again after our second term election. So, let me on behalf of the governor and myself, thank you for supporting us.
“We are not taking your support for granted. That is why for the first time in the history of this state, one of you, an Igbo son, is appointed as commissioner who sits with the governor at the state executive council to take decisions.
“Coming back to the issue that has brought us here, what do the Ohanaeze Ndigbo want? Would you allow the election of your leader to polarize and destroy Ohaneze Ndigbo in Bayelsa? So for now, the government’s position is that that rerun is suspended indefinitely.
“Government will not impose any candidate on Ohanaeze, but government will ensure that there is peace and tranquillity. We want to see how we can reconcile you people. On that note, we are setting up a reconciliation committee now.”
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who assured the Igbos that the government would do everything within its reach, including adopting the “Doctrine of Necessity” to address the lacunas in their constitution to achieve an amicable resolution of the current logjam, constituted a reconciliation committee to look into the issues causing the dispute and come up with recommendations within the next two weeks to enable the government to settle the misunderstanding.
Earlier in their submissions, the two candidates contesting the position of Presidency of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the state, which was zoned to Anambra State, Dr Frank Odinekwe and Dr Anthony Olikagwu, appealed to the state government to help the socio-political organisation resolve its internal conflict.
Responding on behalf of the Reconciliation Committee, the Chairman and Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, High Chief Collins Cocodia, expressed gratitude to the deputy governor for finding them worthy of the assignment and pledged to work hard to achieve the committee’s purpose. Members of the committee include the Senior Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor on Political Matters, Mr Didi Engineerkeme; the Director of Human Resources Management, Deputy Governor’s Office, Mr Ebi Wilson; the traditional Prime Minister of Igbos in Bayelsa, High Chief Obiedo Nwankwo; Mr Ikechukwu Nweke; and Mrs Sarah Ngozi Okonkwo.
