July 23, (THEWILL) – Comrade Jonathan Lokpobiri has emerged as the 19th President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide in a keenly contested election held at the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre, Yenagoa, amidst tight security.
According to the report obtained from the election, Lokpobiri got 47 votes, Benjamin Appah scored 15 votes, Wisdom Ikuli had 3 votes, Sobai Buloubo had 2 votes, Eldred Pongonyo got 26 votes, and the immediate past IYC Spokesperson, Ebilade Ekerefe, got 14 votes.
Speaking to journalists after the election, the IYC president-elect, Jonathan Lokpobiri, said he dedicated the victory to God almighty, the one who gives power, and to all Ijaw youths worldwide and the nation at large, who showed him their massive love and support through their votes. “I am immensely grateful to everybody,” he said.
In an interview after the election, Raymond Oruebi, said, “l pray you bring that positive change we beg for to the IYC struggle.” He described Lokpobiri as a man with the 3Cs of good leadership: competence, commitment and character, and an exemplary and visionary leader, who has, over the years, been known for his dogged commitment to the IYC ideals and his passion for making a positive impact on the lives of people.
Also speaking, Bekeakpo Frank described him as “a star leader and a person who is seen as an exemplary leader and a policy maker, whose actions and decisions are regarded as best practices worthy of emulation by others.”
Also, Douyi Tonworimi posited that the victory of Lokpobiri was a reflection of the current mood of the Ijaw Youth Council where those whose stock-in-trade is to subvert the will of the people and promote electoral violence have no place in the council anymore.
He, therefore, urged Lokpobiri to be magnanimous in victory and work towards ushering in a culture of tolerance and promotion of peace in order to unite all Ijaws irrespective of their religious and political affiliations.
