An election to decide the new leadership of the sociocultural body, the Ijaw Youth Council, took a new turn when Congress declared the previous procedure invalid.
This time, Jonathan Lokpobiri was elected president after defeating three other candidates in a hotly contested election with strong security.
The rescheduled IYC elections are held at the Gabriel Okara Cultural Center, with armed security on the ground, with some notable aspirants and their agents present to witness the process.
One hundred and ten accredited delegates vote in the election, which is overseen by the acting president, Savior Olali.
After tallying all votes cast, Jonathan Lokpobiri is named the new president of the IYC, having received 47 votes to overcome his nearest competitors Benjamin Appah (15 votes) and Ebilade Ekerefe (14 votes).
The election has been praised for its transparency, with the new executives charged with uniting all Ijaw youngsters across all divides.
New executives take the oath of office as they express commitment to fulfill the mandate of the body as enshrined in the Kaiama declaration.
