The crisis rocking the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Edo State chapter is getting messier by the day as its Electoral Committee and the Congress Planning Committee, yesterday, distance selves from an election allegedly conducted by a faction of the state chapter of the NYCN.
Chairman of the Edo State Youth Council Electoral Committee, Comrade Dove Igeri and Chairman of the Congress Planning Committee, Comrade Jolly Osahon, stated their stand as regard the purported election while addressing newsmen in Benin City.
The duo said that their committee, made up of seven members where never part of the election.
The both speakers said the election of the newly executives was postponed because the national body has not provided the needed logistics.
Part of the statement reads, “Consequent upon recent development and in compliance with Article 11.3.3, xxiv, of the 2018 NYCN Constitution as amended; “Electoral materials such as; ballot boxes, result sheets, ballot papers, and certificate would be procured by the leadership of the National Youth Council for all State and National Elections”.
” Furtherance to the above directive from the Constitution, it’s become clear that neither we as State Electoral Committee nor any other body whatsoever aside the National can provide or procure Electoral materials for this Congress/Election”,.
They said as law abiding citizens, they are bent on doing the right thing and that they wanted Nigerians to know that the election into the various offices of the state NYCN has not been conducted and that anyone who parades his or herself as a newly elected officials should be seeing as fake.
“We are amongst others as Electoral Committee to at least, screen and publish list and names of cleared or shortlisted candidates at least a day before the election due date.
“As we write this publication, we are yet to receive or with the hope to getting such materials from the national body and we are without doubts sure not to receiving such materials as we have received a letter from the national body of a national management meeting currently on going at Port Harcourt and the provision, of Constitution in Article 3 is to the effect that the decision of the national is supreme in times of conflict between states and national, clearly stating that the constitution shall be supreme and has a binding effects over all By-laws enacted by state, Local Government, Ward, Units and Constitution of all member organizations, stating further; “where any By-laws of a state chapter or local government branch…or standing order of the National Executive Council conflicts with this constitution, this constitution shall prevail and that other Bye-law, constitution or standing order shall to the extent of that inconsistent.
“As law abiding citizens and respecter of the law and order, we cannot for any reason disobey duly constituted authority or the constitution as such, I must do that which the constitution, from which authority my office is born.
” Lastly, Article 11.3.3 clearly states the functions of the Electoral Committee, as such, we have read and understood our functions and are making sure we follow it strictly, diligently and with a human face, wish to advice those who think they have authority, to please allow us do our job and trust us too accordingly.
” Consequent in the above, we can confidently say, for a successful, peaceful, and best election of the National Youth Council of Nigeria Edo State, we call for the postponement of the election while we await a management meeting to fix a new date”, they said.
