The Council of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE), has called on the Ijaw nation to disregard any election purportedly conducted by Professor Benjamin Okaba and the electoral body of Ijaw National Congress, saying that the Ijaw Nation has not conducted any election yet.

The outgoing President of INC, Professor Benjamin Okaba, and the ELECO had conducted an election on April 13, against the advice of CITRE that the election be suspended. Okaba had gone ahead to conduct the election, saying that the court had ordered him to do so.

Speaking at the weekend in Yenagoa to set the records straight, the Chairman of CITRE, King Bubaraye Dakolo Agada IV, Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, declared that the Ijaw Nation has not got a new president, maintaining that there was no INC election in the first place.

Authenticating the power of CITRE, King Dakolo maintained that CITRE has all first-class traditional rulers in Ijaw land as part of it, all gazetted heads of clans, also kings, ambassadors, governors, former governors, and deputy governors of states.

“All former Presidents of Ijaw National Congress, 10 selected leaders of the Clergy, 10 selected distinguished leaders of the industry, all VCs of universities past and present, all past speakers of Assembly, all senators and senior advocates of Nigeria, all chief judges of the states.

“Also, former secretaries at the federal level, and all retired generals. So, if you are a Brigadier-General or equivalent, you are an automatic member. “All former presidents and vice presidents; so, Goodluck Jonathan, and others are members of CITRE.