The President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Benjamin Ogele Okaba, has reiterated the success recorded by the eight national executive council (NEC) of the INC under his leadership in advancing the apex Ijaw sociocultural organisation beyond the Niger Delta region which he noted is "building more confidence" in the Congress.

Prof. Okaba made the submissions during the recently concluded zonal election of the INC in Warri, Delta State, which produced elected officials for its Western Zone on Saturday, September 13, 2025.

The INC President, who witnessed the proceedings of the Western Zone election, revealed that his ascension to the office of president came at a time the INC was fixated with no room for elections being held at the zonal level, but by recommendations from stakeholders to appoint members.

He also revealed that the election was part of the transition process of the INC to elect new leadership from the clan, zonal and national level to take over from the 8th NEC whose tenure will elapse on May 14, 2026.

Prof. Okaba thanked the Western Zone for the support in electing him as President and for their support since his ascension to lead the body, as well as he lauded the Zone for producing good leaders to take the INC to greater heights.

"I also want to thank you for the support you have given me all these while, and without doubt, we have done well as exco. Western Zone has always produced good national leadership and I don't think we have failed," Prof. Okaba said.

"But the good thing is that, whether anybody likes it or not, if you mention the ethnic nationalities they will not mention three without mentioning the Izon Nation. We have taken INC beyond the region because I stand here as the President General of all the ethnic nationalities in the region.

"We have also taken it (INC) beyond the zone to the national where I was also appointed few years ago as the Chairman of the Conference of Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities in Nigeria.

"We have just, only a few weeks ago, planted the INC flag in Ghana, and on the 21st or 27th I'll be in Ghana again, this time around, to represent Izon Nation and also escalate our voice at the FESTAC. I'm going to be a panelist in discussion at the Continental level,  carrying the Ijaw flag.

"In addition to stabilizing the INC, eight years of comatose, we came on board from no where... we focused on what we can do. In the past, INC was not known amongst us, but you can now see the enthusiasm because people are building confidence in the struggle," he added.

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