BoT Obeys Court Orders, Disbands NYCN Executives

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has disbanded the National Executive Committee of the Council.

This was in obedience to two subsisting court orders given against the constitution of the executives and attempt to “chart the way forward” for the apex youth body.

Rising from an emergency meeting in Abuja, the Board, in a communiqué signed by its Chairman, Amb. Dickson Akoh and Secretary, Comrade Sola Oladeji, also raised issues surrounding the land allocated to the Council by the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo for the proposed Youth Village in Abuja.

The Board gave thirty day ultimatum to any member or group in possession of the land documents or involved in the unlawful sale of any portion of the land to contact the Board or face the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

An official letter was consequently written to convey the decision of the Board to Minister of Sports and Youths Development, Barr. Solomon Dalung.

The letter was copied to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the National Security Adviser, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Services and also made available to the press.

“It was resolved that the combined forces of the High Court of Justice of Nasarawa State Order in Suit No: NSD/MG104/18, Motion No: NSD/MG104/18 dated Tuesday, 30th Day of October, 2018, wherein the Court ORDERED the setting aside of the Gombe Congress, and the suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/833/18, holding at Federal High Court, Abuja Division on Tuesday 11th September, 2018 where the Court made an order against the inauguration of Bello Bala Shagari as the President of National Youth Council of Nigeria pending the determination of the substantial suit, coupled with several constitutional breaches such as politicization of the NYCN by the leadership; disobedience against the provisions of the Constitution of the National Youth Council of Nigeria in the handling of the NYCN affairs.

“The Board of Trustees, after a critical meeting with the officials of the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development held on the 18th April, 2019 at the Conference Hall of the Ministry, wherein the Court Orders stopping NYCN from holding any Elective Congress and nullifying the Gombe Congress were thoroughly considered, embarked upon a wide range consultation with stakeholders and renowned legal experts was left with no option but to abide by the law of the land by derecognizing any of the National Executive Council (either Gombe or PortHarcourt)”, the communiqué reads in part.

The Board therefore said, that a National Management Committee Meeting will be convened soon to chart the way forward, even as it suggested a caretaker committee of two years, in the Minister’s letter.

The BoT, according to the letter, said it has “decided to liaise with the Ministry with a view to constitute a National Executive Council with 2-Year Tenure, during which it is expected that all crisis in the Council and all issues related to the amendment of the Constitution be resolved”.

Recall that an Elective Congress was held in Gombe state, July 2018 where Comrade Shagari emerged as National President with his EXCO members.

Prior to this Congress, however, there was a Court Order from the Nasarawa State High Court retraining the NYCN and its BoT from conducting the Congress.

The BoT though denied receiving any Court Order before the Gombe Congress, claiming the order only got to their knowledge after the convention.

Shortly after the Gombe Congress, a factional convention was also held in PortHarcourt in 2018, with Comrade Sukubo Seraigbe Sukubo emerging as the National President with fleets of his executive members.

NAN