Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has received the report of the Reconciliation Committee set up for the Ijaw National Congress (INC).

The governor said his administration would carefully study the recommendations and consult widely before taking any steps to implement them. He expressed hope that the report would help bring peace, progress and stability to the Ijaw nation and make it stronger in Nigeria.

Governor Diri received the report from the eight-man committee on Friday at the Government House in Yenagoa. He had inaugurated the committee on May 26, 2026, to resolve divisions in the INC following a disputed presidential election. The governor praised the members for completing the task within the one-month period given to them and described their work as excellent.

Dr. Mathew Seiyefa, the chairman of the committee and a former Director-General of the Department of State Services, presented the report. He said the committee interacted with all the contestants in the INC election, members of the electoral committee, and received inputs from various zones and stakeholders. The committee recommended ways to make the INC more united, consultative and focused on advocacy for the Ijaw people.

Governor Diri noted that the INC is the highest body representing the identity and aspirations of the Ijaw people. He stressed that the congress and the people must rise together, and no one should allow it to drift without direction. He described the report as a pathway back to trust and collective purpose among the Ijaw nation.

The Ijaw National Congress serves as the umbrella socio-cultural organisation for Ijaw communities across the Niger Delta. This reconciliation effort is seen as an important step towards unity. Many hope the governor’s quick action on the report will bring lasting peace and stronger representation for the Ijaw people.