Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has charged the Ijaw ethnic nationality and the Ijaw National Congress (INC) to sustain the agitation for the creation of more states, beyond Bayelsa.
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Governor Diri stated this on Friday during the 2026 INC National Convention held at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa.
He urged his kinsmen not to relent in their demand for the creation of two additional states out of the three originally proposed by the ethnic group.
The Bayelsa helmsman also declared that he had no preferred candidate among the five contestants for the INC presidency.
Governor Diri reiterated his advocacy for the practice of true fiscal federalism in the country, noting that the current lopsided structure could best be described as “unitary federalism.”
He argued that states, including Bayelsa, would be better developed if they controlled 100 per cent of their resources and paid taxes to the Federal Government.
He said:
“We have tried. Today, we have one state (Bayelsa). The INC, under the leadership of Chief Joshua Fumudoh, asked for three — Oil Rivers, Bayelsa, and Toru-Ibe states. This means we still have two additional states that must be pursued by the Ijaw nation and the INC. So, it is not yet uhuru.
“This is a struggle we must continue. If we cannot achieve it in our time, we will hand it over to our children. Our land and waters have nourished this nation and fuelled its economic activities, yet for too long we have borne the burden of environmental damage and social disadvantage.
“Economic inequities, environmental degradation, and infrastructural neglect remain pressing challenges that require both local and national resolve to address. The challenges we face are formidable, but I have no doubt that our sons and daughters possess the resilience and indomitable spirit to overcome them.”
He advised contestants for various positions in Saturday’s election to bear in mind that the overriding interest of the ethnic nationality should take precedence over personal ambitions.
The governor commended the outgoing INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, and members of his executive council for their leadership, particularly their partnership with government in securing the formal admission of the Ijaw nation into the United Nations’ Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO).
He charged the incoming leadership to continue efforts to revive Ijaw cultural values and language, and to ensure that the dreams of the founding fathers are realised.
In his address, Prof. Benjamin Okaba called for strategic global engagement in the Ijaw struggle, noting that the ethnic nationality remains Nigeria’s economic backbone despite years of neglect.
He advocated a shift from protest-driven advocacy to stronger global engagement, describing the gathering as a milestone for leadership renewal and a reassessment of the organisation’s direction.
Okaba also noted that despite being a major contributor to Nigeria’s oil-driven economy, the Ijaw nation continues to suffer environmental degradation and infrastructural neglect.
The INC President announced new strategic initiatives, including a Territorial Mapping Project aimed at digitally documenting Ijaw ancestral lands to support environmental monitoring and resource negotiations.
As part of efforts to strengthen unity, he said the INC has registered 15 affiliate groups to collaborate in amplifying the Ijaw voice on national and international platforms.
Dignitaries at the event included former Bayelsa Deputy Governor, Peremobowei Ebebi; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei; Head of Service, Dr. Ebiye Sawyer; commissioners; Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Hon. Warman Ogoriba; local government chairmen; Chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo; royal fathers from Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers states; as well as other top government functionaries and stakeholders.
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