The leadership of the Jumbo Major House of Bonny Kingdom have inaugurated an Electoral Committee to conduct elections that will bring on a new leadership for the Jumbo Major House Youth Association (JMHYA).

This was after the lingering crisis amongst the youths was resolved amicably at a meeting convened by the Elders Council on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 in Bonny, Rivers State which had key stakeholders amongst the youths in attendance.  

Invoking the doctrine of necessity, the Elders Council led by its Chairman, Wari-Alabo Sodienye Jumbo, suspended the JMHYA constitution and appointed the key stakeholders into the Electoral Committee with a one-month tenure.

They include Eric Rogers Jumbo; Chairman, Nengi Emmanuel Jumbo; Secretary, Adonye James Jumbo; Public Relations Officer, Nelson Japhet Jumbo and Ibifubara William-Jumbo.

“By the powers conferred on me as the Chairman of the Elders Council of Jumbo Major House, I hereby inaugurate you as the Electoral Committee of the Jumbo Major House Youth Association. Congratulations on your appointment,” Wari-Alabo Jumbo said.  

He charged them to display maturity, neutrality and courage in the discharge of their terms of reference which were 1) Work out modalities for and conduct an election into various positions in the Jumbo Major House Youth Association Executive 2) Plan and implement the inauguration of the newly elected Executive into office, and 3) Ensure a smooth transition between the outgoing and incoming Executive.

“I charge you to display the maturity, neutrality and courage needed to deliver a free, fair and credible election so as to bring in a new leadership for the youths of Jumbo Major House.  

Part of the issue addressed at the meeting was the impasse created by the elapse of the tenure of Silvestre Idanye on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, which the inauguration of the Electoral Committee effectively took care of.  

The Jumbo Major House Elders Council also set up a Monitoring Committee to replace the one earlier set up to monitor the elections and advise it on the way forward.

The Committee comprises Sonny Idanye Jumbo, Omubo Dawari Jumbo, Benjamin Jumbo, Iyeowuna Lawrence Jumbo, and Kalada Kiriwari Jumbo.

In his acceptance speech shortly after being inaugurated, Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Eric jumbo thanked the Elders Council for the confidence reposed in him and his colleagues, promising that the committee would work to deliver a free, fair and credible election that the House would be proud of.

“I want to thank the Chairman of the Jumbo Major House Elders Council in the person of Wari-Alabo Sodienye Jumbo, and cabinet members here present. I want to thank the Ogbobiri Asawo and the youth, especially, mu brother, Silvestre Idanye, Adonye Jumbo and others that have come today.”

“I want to say that the elders have so far displayed what they are supposed to do and today we have gotten a united youth body.”  

“To the best of our abilities we will discharge our duties in accordance to what they have stipulated in our inauguration speech and to this end, having given us one month to operate we shall cooperate with all and sundry to ensure that we come up with a very free, fair and credible election.”

In a chat with Kristina Reports shortly after the inauguration, Chairman of the Bonny Kingdom Ogbobiri Asawo, Eugene John-Jumbo expressed delight with the outcome of the meeting, noting that it represents progress and development for the House.

“What happened today is unity. It is oneness; the youths have agreed to come together as one to make up a leadership so that there will be progress in the House. This is a welcome development.”

“They have all agreed and people were elected to organize the election and come up with a leader that the House will inaugurate and by that doing the House will be moving forward.”

On his part, Chairman of the Jumbo Major House Ogbobiri Asawo, Samuel Jumbo said “I think I am the happiest person now that everything about youth election is done today. In everything we do in this world without peace we cannot achieve it. Without peace, without understanding we cannot achieve it.”

“So, we thank the Elders Council Chairman, we thank all that have come. By the grace of God, we are going to have a peaceful Jumbo Major House Youth election.”   

Chairman of the Election Monitoring Committee, Sonny Jumbo told Kristina Reports that the primary aim of the meeting, which was to reconcile the warring factions among the youths, was achieved, as well as peace in the House, commending the youth stakeholders for embracing peace.  

“The meeting was about reconciling the youths. We were informed of the disagreements within the youth body and we felt it was necessary to bring all the warring factions together and see how we can chart a way forward as a way of making peace in Jumbo Major House Youth Association.” 

“I think with the intervention of the Elders Council led by the Chairman himself and other members we have been able to achieve peace, we have been able to set a five-man electoral committee charged with the responsibility of ensuring that a free, fair and credible election is conducted in the next one month.”

“To God be the glory, all parties to the disagreement have come together and are now speaking as one body under Jumbo Major House Youth Association.”  

The outgoing President of the Jumbo Major House Youth Association, Silvestre Idanye expressed happiness over the outcome of the meeting, pointing out that the formation of the Electoral Committee addressed the vacuum that the expiration of his tenure would have created.

“Actually by the special grace of God my tenure just ended today by midnight, 8th November, 2023. My tenure has ended and elapsed in office. There is need for transition.”

“There was a little challenge along the line but thank God for the benevolence and forward mindedness of the Council of Elders we’ve been able to address the issue.”

“We’ve been able to set up an electoral committee like we wanted to all this while. And using the time to further bring in the transition, one acceptable and agreeable by everybody to fill the positions of Jumbo Major House Youth Association.”

Pertinent to the development is the back end efforts of the Ogbobiri Asawo members who were galvanized by Sonny Jumbo, who is also a former Director of Quality Assurance in the Rivers State Ministry of Education, which ultimatley led to Wednesday’s meeting which now served as a watershed for resolution of the issues at stake and inauguration of the committees.