COMMUNIQUE

The Ijaw Elders Forum, Lagos in collaboration with Ijaw Professionals Association, Ijaw Nation Forum, G24 Embasara Foundation and Ijaw Women Connect organized a  one day workshop on Credible Governorship Election and Good Governance in Bayelsa State on Wednesday 22^nd May, 2019 at the De Gracious Event Centre, Yenagoa. The Workshop had in attendance very important sons and daughters of Ijaw nation, including His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah, retd, Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State who represented His Excellency, Hon. Seriake Dickson, Governor of Bayelsa State.  Other dignitaries present were Gen. Paul Alaowei Toun, Chairman, BoT, Ijaw Professionals Association, Arc. Amagbe Denzil Kentebe, Chairman, BoT, G24 Embasara Foundation, Chief Atamuno Atamuno, Vice Chairman, Ijaw Elders Forum, Lagos, Dr. Erepamo F. Osaisai, Chief Timi Alaibe, Dr. Tam George and Mrs Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown, amongst other dignitaries.

Participants in their deliberations noted that:

1. The development of the Ijaw nation has not in any form been commensurate with the depth of resource endowment in Ijaw land and this indeed is a reflection of leadership challenges.
2. The recourse to violence during elections offers far-reaching negative consequences for our development as a people as it puts to question the critical essence of leadership in Bayelsa State.
3. It was the resolve to change the trajectory of unaccountable leadership that inspired the production of the Ijaw Charter and the Code of Ethics, Leadership and Governance, which overall intent is to entrench the fundamentals of good, accountable, transparent and participatory governance to engender peace, security, social inclusion and justice for the sustainable economic growth and development.
4. A government of inclusivity and accountability requires the enthronement of transformational leadership that upholds meritocracy, capacity, competence, vision and drive.
5. Every person aspiring to provide leadership, to be the governor of Bayelsa State must eschew violence at all times; we must not seek to be elected through the use of guns.

Accordingly, participants agreed that:

• The process of sensitizing all elders, senior citizens and aspirants being initiated by the Ijaw Elders Forum should be sustained, .
• As enlightened people, we should seek transformational leadership that is integrative and complementary; leadership should not be by one person alone but must necessarily be complementary.
• Education is the most important weapon every leader should focus upon to advance a people-driven government.
• All aspirants for the office of governor of Bayelsa State must subscribe to the conduct of peaceful elections. No aspirant should seek to provide leadership and governance on the blood of fellow Bayelsans.
• Bayelsans must reject any candidate who employs violence, provides guns to kill fellow Ijaw men and women to gain ascendancy to the seat of power as governor of Bayelsa state.