National Electoral Committee in Exercise of Its Constitutional Powers Hereby Establish the Following GUIDELINES For the Conduct of Elections into The National Executive Council of Ijaw Youth Council, Worldwide, 2026.

A. OFFICES TO BE CONTESTED FOR
The national offices to be contested for include the following;
i. President
ii. Deputy President
iii. National Secretary
iv. Assistant National Secretary
v. Director of Mobilization
vi. Deputy Director of Mobilization
vii. Spokesman
viii. Treasurer
ix. Financial Secretary
x. National Legal adviser
xi. National Woman Leader

B. ZONING OF OFFICES TO ZONES/CHAPTERS

a. CENTRAL ZONE
Ijaw youths from Central Zone shall contest for the following national offices only:
i. National Secretary
ii. National Legal Adviser
iii. National Woman Leader

b. EASTERN ZONE
Ijaw youths from Eastern Zone shall contest for the following national offices only:
i. Deputy president
ii. Treasurer
iii. Spokesman

c. WESTERN ZONE
Ijaw youths from Western Zone shall contest for the following national offices only:
i. President
ii. Financial Secretary
iii. Director of Mobilization

d. ABUJA CHAPTER
Ijaw youths in Abuja Chapter shall contest for the national office below:
Assistant National Secretary

e. LAGOS CHAPTER
Ijaw youths in Lagos Chapter shall contest for the national office below:
Deputy Director of Mobilization

C. CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY TO CONTEST
 1.⁠ ⁠A candidate aspiring for national office in council must be a registered financial member of council and must show evidence of payment of annual dues for a period of not less than three years preceding the election year (2026).

 2.⁠ ⁠A candidate aspiring for a national office in council must not be above forty-five (45) years old AND must not be less than eighteen (18) years old on the date of their submission of forms expressing their interest in contesting for such elective position. (Original NIN slip/International Passport/National Driver’s License/Voters Card/Birth Certificate shall serve as proof of age).

 3.⁠ ⁠A candidate aspiring for a national office in council must not be an ex-convict.

 4.⁠ ⁠A candidate aspiring for a national office in council must not have been declared bankrupt.

 5.⁠ ⁠A candidate aspiring for a national office in council must have attended at least two National Conventions OR two Zonal/Chapter Congresses.

 6.⁠ ⁠A candidate aspiring for a national office in council must be persons who have previously held elective or appointive position at any tier of council.

 7.⁠ ⁠A candidate aspiring for any of the following national offices: President, Deputy President, National Secretary, Spokesman, National Woman Leader, Financial secretary MUST be holders of at least a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent (HND), WHILE aspirants for the other national offices shall have a minimum qualification of Senior School Certificate or its equivalent.

 8.⁠ ⁠A candidate aspiring the office of National Legal Adviser shall be a legal practitioner qualified to practice in Nigeria, must be in active private practice, and must show evidence of active private practice during screening with at least two judgements or rulings of court with their names on the record.

 9.⁠ ⁠Any person who is an executive officer at any tier of council seeking to contest for an elective national office must resign from his/her current elective position not later than 29th April, 2026.

10.⁠ ⁠A candidate aspiring for a national office in council who holds any political office at any tier of government in Nigeria must resign from such position not later than 29th April, 2026.

11.⁠ ⁠A candidate aspiring for a national office in council must be mentally stable and must not be a drug addict/substance abuser.

12. A candidate aspiring for a national office in council must be a native of Ijaw land with either one or both of his/her parent from a known Ijaw community. (Local Government Area Identification Letter shall serve as proof).

D. NATURE OF ELECTION/MODE OF VOTING
 1.⁠ ⁠The election shall be by delegates. Only accredited delegates from each of the constitutionally recognized zones and chapters of council shall vote during the election.

 2.⁠ ⁠The method of voting shall be by open-secret ballot system.

E. DELEGATE DISTRIBUTION
There shall be one hundred and seventeen (117) delegates who shall vote during the election. The breakdown is as follows:
i. Central Zone: 30 delegates
ii. Eastern Zone: 30 delegates
iii Western Zone: 30 delegates
iv. Abuja Chapter: 12 delegates (4 delegates of Central Zone origin; 4 delegates of Eastern Zone origin; 4 delegates from Western Zone origin)
v. Lagos Chapter: 12 delegates (4 delegates of Central Zone origin; 4 delegates of Eastern Zone origin; 4 delegates from Western Zone origin)
vi. National Union of Izon-Ibe Students (NUIS): 3 delegates (The National President, National Vice-President and National Secretary).

F. DELEGATE LIST
1.A delegate list shall ONLY be accepted from a zone/chapter if it fulfills the following criteria:

2.It must be duly signed by the Zonal/Chapter chairman and secretary.

3.The delegates from a zone/chapter are to be internally distributed within the zone/chapter based on the established standard peculiarities of each zone/chapter.

 4.⁠ ⁠Zonal/Chapter chairmen should ensure that the delegate submitted to them from the various sub-zonal/sub-chapter structures (LGAs/Constituencies/Clans) were gotten from a meeting called for delegate selection where a majority of the stakeholders in that sub-structure were present.

5.The total delegates from a zone/chapter must be adopted in a Zonal/Chapter congress called specifically for the purpose of affirming the selected delegates derived from the various sub-zonal/sub-chapter structures where members of the National Electoral Committee shall be present to monitor/observe. (Section 32, Sub-Section ‘6’ of the constitution – ODI 2024 (As amended).

6.It must be submitted directly to the Chairman/Secretary of the National Electoral Committee by hand immediately after it has been affirmed by the respective Zonal/Chapter congresses called specifically for it.

 7.⁠ ⁠Delegates should be within the age bracket of 18 – 50yrs.

 8.⁠ ⁠The delegate list should be submitted along with one (1) copy of a recent passport photograph of each delegate.

 9.⁠ ⁠Zonal/Chapter Chairmen should adhere strictly to the timeline specified in the Election Timetable for the calling of Zonal/Chapter congresses to affirm the delegates received from the peculiar sub-structures.

G. EXPRESSION OF INTEREST TO CONTEST
 1.⁠ ⁠Any member of council that is interested in contesting for a national office of council shall pay the prescribed amount applicable to the position he/she is aspiring for into the account details designated/provided by the national electoral committee (ELECO) as contained in a memo to be issued by the ELECO specifying the amount for each national office.

 2.⁠ ⁠Aspirants who have made payment and have a proof of payment, shall proceed to the ELECO OFFICE at the IYC National Secretariat, Ijaw House, Sanni Abacha road, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State to obtain the Expression of Interest/Nomination Form, after the confirmation of payment.

 3.⁠ ⁠Submit duly completed forms along with all documentary requirements to the ELECO OFFICE at the IYC National Secretariat, Ijaw House, Sanni Abacha road, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State WITHIN THE PERIOD SPECIFIED IN THE ELECTION TIMETABLE.

 4.⁠ ⁠Any form brought for submission that is not completely and correctly filled/without the requested attachments and credentials/without the required court (commissioner for oaths/notary public) fields genuinely signed/stamped shall NOT be accepted and the aspirant shall be deemed not to have submitted his/her form.

 5.⁠ ⁠Any form brought to the ELECO office for submission after the deadline for the submission of completed forms as specified in the Election Timetable shall NOT be accepted and the aspirant shall be deemed not to have submitted his/her form.

H. SCREENING OF ASPIRANTS/PUBLISHING OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES
 1.⁠ ⁠All aspirants shall present themselves for screening in the day SPECIFIED IN THE ELECTION TIMETABLE/as the ELECO shall schedule.

 2.⁠ ⁠Any aspirant that does not present himself/herself for screening stands automatically DISQUALIFIED.

 3.⁠ ⁠List of successful candidates shall be published within 72hours after screening.

DEBATE/MANIFESTO
There shall be a debate session for presidential candidates only in a day specified in the Election Timetable.

There shall be presentation of manifestos by all candidates seeking to occupy any national office apart from the presidential candidates.

Any candidate who fails to show up for the debate/manifesto stands automatically DISQUALIFIED.

J. CONDUCT/UNDERTAKEN OF ASPIRANTS/SUPPORTERS
 1.⁠ ⁠Any aspirants who presents fake credentials shall be disqualified.

 2.⁠ ⁠Any aspirant who is involved in violence, crime and intimidation of fellow aspirants shall be disqualified.

 3.⁠ ⁠Any supporter of any aspirant who is involved in violence and crime shall be arrested and prosecuted.

 4.⁠ ⁠All presidential candidates shall sign an undertaken not initiate/form a parallel/factional government should he/she loses.

 5.⁠ ⁠All candidates shall sign a Peace Accord committing to go about their consultations/campaigns in a non-violent manner.

K. SUBMISSION OF AGENTS BY CANDIDATES

1.All candidates are required one (1) person to serve as their AGENT during the sorting of ballots and counting of votes for the office they are contesting for.

2.The name, phone number and recent passport photograph of such person is to be submitted to the ELECO OFFICE at the IYC National Secretariat, Ijaw House, Sanni Abacha road, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State not later than the DEADLINE specified in the Election Timetable.

L. ELECTION DAY GUIDELINES
 1.⁠ ⁠Only the following category of persons shall be admitted into the election venue:
i. Candidates contesting the election
ii. Delegates accredited to vote in the election
iii One (1) agent of each of the candidates contesting the elections
iv Serving national executive council members
v. Officers/leadership of 6th mobile parliament
vi Past national executive council members
vii Past officers of the mobile parliament
viii Serving zonal executive council members
ix Elders council members/critical stakeholders
x. Accredited observers/media personnel

 2.⁠ ⁠Delegates shall vote zone by zone and chapter by chapter and then NUIS delegates. All delegates from Central Zone shall line up in an orderly manner that corresponds to their number in the final delegate list and proceed towards the voting platform, vote and return to their seats, while the rest of the delegates shall remain seated. Thereafter, in same manner delegates from Eastern Zone shall rise, line up and vote. Thereafter, delegates from Western Zone shall rise, line up and vote. Thereafter, delegates from Abuja Chapter shall rise, line up and vote. Thereafter, delegates from Lagos Chapter shall rise, line up and vote. Thereafter, the 3 NUIS delegates shall rise, line up and vote.

 3.⁠ ⁠Any person that does not comport himself/herself shall be taken out of the election premises by security personnel.

 4.⁠ ⁠The election shall be transmitted live on major news stations/media houses nationwide.

 5.⁠ ⁠Television/screens shall be provided for supporters outside the election hall to view the voting processes.

Dr. Charles Ikimi Comr. Micah A. Micah
Chairman, ELECO Secretary, ELECO