By ThEANLYSTNG
The National Youth Council of Nigeria, (NYCN) Kogi State Chapter has appealed to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to call to order some aggrieved council of past Chairmen who are determined to cause crisis in the State.
The Kogi State Chairman of NYCN Comrade Ben Jerry made the call at a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) Secretariat in Lokoja.
Jerry posited that the current executive in Kogi State are not in any crisis adding that, under his leadership, a free, fair and credible election was conducted in three Local Government Area of Kogi East.
“We are here to intimate the public on the happenings in the Council. It is very disturbing that at this critical time of our State, some people who called themselves former Chairmen of the Council are trying to cause problem for us.
” We want the Government to note that any crisis that might arise is not from my exco and the management of the Council. We are peace loving people and we won’t do anything that will jeopardize the peace Kogi State is enjoying.
” As you can see, all the executive are here to confirm that the Youth council are one. They just want to tear us apart because of what we have been able to achieve under a short period of time.
” All the excos across the three Senatorial District are all present here. We don’t have any problem in the Council. Their grievances today is concerning the Congress where this set of people brought their interest.
” I told them I am the one that called for management meeting for us to see how we can conduct a free, fair and credible election for our people aimed at bringing those who are supposed to be on board. To our dismay, they went about to trade with the Council mandate.
“They started collecting money from Local Government Chairmen, Commissioners and many more refusing to conduct a credible election. We gave them a mandate to conduct election within a specific time and refer back to the Central Committee in which I am the State Chairman.
” After 22nd of March, we set up a review committee to go ahead and do election in three Local Government which is Ibaji, Idah and Igalamela.
“Unfortunately, because of the money they have collected, after I have set a committee, election conducted and I brought the results, they still went there to do another election. They are trying to divide the Council and run a parallel government in the Council.
He called on security agencies such as the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, and many more to place their search light on this set of individuals who are determined to cause crisis in the State.
” We are going to send our reports to all the security agencies to note that Youth Council is a group of peaceful people.
“Any news that is coming from the Council that is not from us should be disregarded. As you can see, I just won my case in Court just last week that I am the authentic Chairman of National Youth Council of Nigeria Kogi State chapter. So, where is the contention? When I conclude my tenure, I will hand over to the Central based on zoning arrangement”.
Comrade Jerry also debunked the claimed that his executive has been operating on illegalities adding that, he has the constitutional backing to suspend members for gross misconduct and insubordination.
Explaining further, he said “It is only the executive here that has the right to suspend members who have gone contrary to our constitution. The forum of former Chairmen in the Council don’t have any right to suspend me or any member of my executive. It is when you call for a management meeting that you can suspend.
“Those saying I have been suspended is a media report and propaganda. Someone can not just sit down in a bear parlor or comfort of his home to suspend us. Let the public note that there is no crisis and their is nothing like suspending the State Chairman. I have never done anything outside the constitution.
“Those people that we suspended was based on the consent of the excos. We met at the excos meeting and agreed to suspend some people for violating our constitution. Like the person we suspended yesterday, which is the Deputy state Chairman was done in accordance to the law”.
He, however, seized the opportunity to congratulate the Kogi State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Monday Anyebe for his emergence as the organizing Secretary, forum of Commissioners in Kogi State.
