INC 2026: “From Odi to Ijaw House: Nengi James’ Presidential Bid Gains Spiritual Backing”
By Passman Akpos
A frontline presidential aspirant of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Alabo Nengi James, OON, has returned to his ancestral home in Odi, Bayelsa State, to seek family blessings ahead of the body’s March 2026 national elections.
James, who is vying for the top position in the forthcoming INC polls, described his visit to Oboribengha in Odi Town as both emotional and spiritually uplifting.
“I was live at Oboribengha–Odi Town, my origin, to receive the blessings of my family head and members. It gladdened my heart to see the Odi Ama-Okosiowei in our midst, who also prayed for me at the family gathering ground,” he said.
The aspirant expressed gratitude to key family members and elders who turned out for the occasion, particularly members of the Okpolo and Okorokoro families, as well as Elder Ikposo, whose presence he described as deeply encouraging.
The visit is widely seen as part of early grassroots consultations by aspirants ahead of what observers describe as a crucial leadership transition within the apex Ijaw socio-cultural body.
INC Releases Full 2026 Election Timetable
Meanwhile, the INC, through its National 2026 Electoral Committee (N-ELECO), has officially released the timetable for the highly anticipated national elections scheduled for March 7, 2026.
In a press statement dated January 10, 2026, jointly signed by HRM Justice F. F. Tabai (Chairman, INC-N ELECO), Dr. Olobo Choice Jamaica (Secretary), and Amaopusenibo Shedrack Fubara (Chairman, Planning and Publicity Sub-Committee), the committee called on Ijaw sons and daughters both at home and in the diaspora to actively participate in the electoral process.
The committee described the election as a defining moment in shaping the future leadership and direction of the Ijaw Nation.
According to the timetable:
Collection of nomination forms runs from January 12 to January 26, 2026.
Campaigns will take place between January 12 and March 6, 2026.
Completed nomination forms must be returned on or before February 10, 2026.
Submission of national convention delegate lists will occur at Ijaw House, Yenagoa, on February 14, 2026.
Claims and objections are scheduled for February 16 to 18, while final delegate lists will be published between February 20 and 21, 2026.
Screening of candidates will hold from February 19 to 21, 2026.
A test run of the INC e-voting system is fixed for March 3 and 4, 2026.
A non-elective convention for the presentation of manifestos by cleared candidates will take place on March 6, 2026, at 4:00 pm in Yenagoa.
The election proper will be conducted on March 7, 2026, at Ijaw House, Yenagoa, with results announced the same day.
The N-ELECO reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, fairness, and credibility, urging members to uphold unity and integrity throughout the process.
With aspirants like Nengi James intensifying consultations and the electoral timetable now in full swing, political activities within the INC are expected to gather momentum in the weeks ahead, setting the stage for what many anticipate to be a defining contest for the future of the Ijaw Nation.
