The Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has halted the scheduled national election of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) slated for March 7.

‎The court granted an interim order of injunction restraining the organisation and its electoral committee from conducting the poll.

‎Justice S. H. Aprioku granted the order in suit PHC/719/CS/2026, filed by High Chief Macdonald Igbadiwei, a lawyer.

‎The claimant sued the Chairman and members of the INC Electoral Committee, as well as the INC, over what he described as a plot to exclude him from contesting for the position of National President in the forthcoming election.

‎Those listed as defendants include Francis Fedode Tabai, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court who chairs the electoral committee; HRM King Dr. Seiyefa Koroye; Dr. Olobo Choice Jamaica; Mrs. Iyoropatei Victoria Odogbo; High Chief Joel Wodubamo Aigbekumo; Mrs. Immaculata Love Amaseimogha; Chief Dr. Ebizimoh Okolo; Dr. Major Iteimowei; Chief Dr. Eniatorudabo A. Harrison; Chief Godwin Efang; and Amaopuseniibo Shedrack Fubara.

The court granted an interim order restraining the defendants, their agents, servants, privies, or anyone acting on their behalf from conducting the national election of the INC scheduled for March 7, 2026, or any other date, pending the resolution of the dispute.

Justice Aprioku directed the parties to resolve the dispute through the organisation’s Internal Dispute Resolution Committee within seven days.

The judge further held that if the parties succeed in resolving the dispute internally, the court would abridge the time for hearing the matter.

‎However, if the dispute is not resolved within the stipulated period, the case will proceed in court and all pending applications will be determined on March 18, 2026.

‎During the proceedings, Dr. Uche F. Ogwudu appeared for the claimant, assisted by Boma Wariboko and Uzoadu Ekwueme, while Celestine Lo Nwani represented the INC.

‎In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Igbadiwei stated that he is a member of the INC through the Gbaran Clan in the Central Zone of Bayelsa State and has been actively involved in the organisation’s activities since 2004.

‎He said he previously served as Chairman of the Apoi Clan between 2004 and 2007, later becoming the caretaker and subsequently the substantive Chairman of the Gbaran Clan when it was created.

He added that he is currently the elected Legal Adviser of the Gbaran Clan in the Central Zone of Bayelsa State, a position he has held since 2021.

According to him, after years of service within the organisation, he decided to contest for the office of National President in the 2026 election.

‎The claimant told the court that he purchased the INC nomination form for the position at the cost of N1 million and duly completed and submitted it along with all required documents, including nomination and endorsement forms signed by at least 30 members of the Central and Western zonal tiers of the organisation in Bayelsa State.

‎He stated that the defendants received his completed nomination form and accompanying documents without raising any complaint or query.

‎However, Igbadiwei alleged that he later received reports that the electoral committee had screened him out of the race and was planning to proceed with the election without including his name on the list of candidates.

‎He further claimed that the committee intended to formally inform him of his disqualification only a day before the election or on the election day, thereby preventing him from seeking legal redress.

‎The claimant stated that upon learning of the alleged plan, he wrote a petition dated March 1, 2026, to the chairman of the electoral committee requesting confirmation of his status as a candidate in the forthcoming election.

‎He told the court that the defendants failed to respond to the petition, thereby denying him the opportunity to pursue internal dispute resolution within the organisation.

‎Igbadiwei maintained that he meets all the constitutional requirements to contest for the position of National President under the INC Constitution, including being an indigene of an Ijaw community, meeting the minimum age requirement, and being a financial member of the organisation.

‎He also told the court that he has never been declared bankrupt, convicted of any offence involving dishonesty, or removed from any office by the INC National Convention.

The claimant further stated that he is a legal practitioner called to the Nigerian Bar in 2003 and that his academic qualifications exceed the minimum requirements stipulated in the organisation’s constitution.

‎He warned that unless the court intervenes, the defendants would proceed with their alleged plan to exclude him from the election, thereby causing him irreparable harm that cannot be adequately compensated by damages.

The matter was consequently adjourned to March 18, 2026, for further proceedings if the dispute is not resolved through the organisation’s internal mechanism. (The Nation)