IYC parliament calls for due process, constitutional integrity in Lagos chapter 

By Osaro Michael, Benin

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Mobile Parliament Worldwide has expressed dissatisfaction over growing concerns on the breach of constitutional and electoral processes within the Lagos Chapter.

According to the parliament, the development has raised important concerns regarding due process, constitutional clarity, and the integrity of the democratic institutions.

This was contained in a statement signed by Rt. Hon. Gabriel Allen Tomoni, Speaker, 6th Mobile Parliament, Comr. Williams Ayoromiegha Junior, Clerk, 6th Mobile Parliament of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide on June 17,2025 in which a copy of it was sent to Congress Newspaper.

Meantime, the Parliament attributed the conflicts in the Lagos chapter of council to the failure of the president, Jonathan Lokpobiri of completing and validating the ongoing constitution amendment process.

“At the center of this issue is the aftermath of the Constitutional Convention held in Odi, and the approach taken by the Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri-led National Executive Council (NEC) towards its implementation. While the convention was convened to deliberate on a new governing document, the process remains incomplete. Unfortunately, the draft constitution has not yet undergone the necessary validation.

The IYC parliament emphasised that the Constitutional committee was dissolved during the event, and the working draft remained inactive for over five months despite growing concerns raised by the Parliament.

“To clarify, the convention did not produce a finalized constitution at Odi. The Constitutional committee was dissolved during the event, and the working draft remained inactive for over five months despite ongoing concerns raised by Parliament. These circumstances have led to questions regarding both the content and the legitimacy of the draft in its current form.

“It is important to recall that in previous constitutional undertakings, such as the Ataba Constitution process, the principle of parliamentary ratification was fully respected. Departing from that standard now, under the justification of enforcing “convention decisions”, undermines both the credibility of our institutions and the collective will of our members.

They maintained that the pre-convention screening of national electoral committee members were neither conclusively debated nor officially adopted during the Odi convention, narrating that the verification process was later set aside during the President’s recent engagement with the Lagos Chapter.

“Additionally, certain provisions, like the pre-convention screening of national electoral committee members, to the best of our knowledge, were neither conclusively debated nor officially adopted during the Odi convention. Parliament, with the Present’s initial consent, sought to clarify these matters through available video records. Regrettably, this verification process was later set aside during the President’s recent engagement with the Lagos Chapter.

“Of particular concern is the enforcement of the Option A4 voting method, an electoral model that has not yet been ratified. The unilateral attempt to impose this mechanism, without formal endorsement, was met with unified resistance from the Lagos Chapter electoral committee, stakeholders, and members.

“Following this, the NEC moved to suspend the Lagos Chapter election indefinitely. This action, however, has no grounding in the IYC Constitution. The election process in Lagos had already been duly approved by the Chapter Congress and followed all established norms, reflecting both democratic intent and procedural compliance.

“Contrary to the President’s assertion that the election was “unauthorized”, the Parliament affirms that the Lagos Chapter Congress possesses full constitutional authority to conduct such an election. To insinuate that the Speaker conducted the election is to insult the sensibilities of the Ijaw people, as there is video and media evidence showing that it was conducted by the electoral committee empowered by the Lagos Congress. The process was legitimate and supervised in accordance with the laws and convention of Council. To portray it as unlawful is both misleading and disrespectful to the sovereignty of the Chapter.

“In a further development, the President announced the appointment of a three-man caretaker committee to oversee the Lagos Chapter. Assuming without conceding that this action was motivated by necessity, it remains inconsistent with established convention; as such a significant step cannot occur without the Parliament. If permitted to stand, this practice would set a dangerous precedent, wherein a sitting president could, at will, declare a form of administrative emergency in any chapter or zone without checks and balances. This would erode our democratic safeguards and open the Council to executive overreach. The Ijaw people must not accept this trajectory, lest we institutionalize tranny under the guise of necessity. Left unchallenged, this pattern of unilateralism may haunt the Council long after the current administration has passed.

“The Parliament views this indefinite suspension and ad hoc executive intervention as overreach that challenges the principle of Chapter and zonal autonomy and the foundational checks and balances of our Council. It is essential that our collective commitment to fairness, inclusivity, and democratic order be preserved at all times.

“It is equally disturbing that the President’s recent statement includes accusations that the Parliament is sabotaging Council initiatives. We strongly refute such claims. Our insistence on due process, transparency, and legal adherence does not amount to sabotage. It is, in fact, our core mandate. We supported the constitutional convention and welcomed reforms, but we reject any attempt to bypass appropriate channels or impose authority through executive fiat.

“We caution all Council members and stakeholders to remain vigilant. Attempts to personalize power and demonize oversight mechanisms are antithetical to the values of our founding fathers. The IYC must never become an institution where constitutional safety guards are surbordinated to personal discretion.

“Even if the declared winner of the Lagos Chapter Chairmanship election personally aligns with the NEC’s decision to suspend the election under whatever pretext, such alignment does not validate the action. The suspension remains unconstitutional and cannot be legitimized by individual endorsement. Our institutions must be guided by law, not convenience.

“While we acknowledge that disagreements and procedural uncertainties may arise, we reaffirm our commitment to resolving such issues through dialogue, constitutional observance, and mutual respect. Parliament remains steadfast in its duty to defend the values and integrity of the Ijaw Youth Council, and will continue to advocate constructively for transparency and institutional accountability.

“Accordingly, we make the following declarations:

“The draft Constitution produced at Odi remains ungratified and may not be enforced until it is formally adopted through the appropriate process.

“The Lagos Chapter election, having met all procedural and constitutional criteria, remains valid and cannot be nullified by executive fiat.

“The suspension of the Lagos Chapter election by the NEC is without constitutional foundation and should be reviewed in the interest of fairness, unity, and democratic consistency.

“Any caretaker arrangement, including the recently announced three-man committee, is unconstitutional.

“Parliament rejects the insinuation of sabotage. Oversight is not an attack; it is duty. Attempts to paint constitutional adherence as obstruction are deliberate misrepresentations.

“The path to unity lies in respect for the rule of law, not in unilateral decrees or executive convenience. We call on all Ijaw youths to stand firmly in defense of constitutionalism.

“In good conscience and with unshaken respect for the Ijaw people, we call on all organs of Council to reaffirm our shared commitment to constitutionalism, safeguard Chapter autonomy, and promote the collective dignity of our Council’s democratic institutions”, the parliament added.