Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Students in Ogun state have called on the State Commandant and the Southwest Zonal Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to probe and sanction one of its officers, Abduljabaar Ayelagbe, for his involvement in the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN).
The students, under the auspices of the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) and the National Association of Nigerians Students (NANS), made the call on Sunday, at a press conference addressed by the Ogun state Chairman of the NANS, Bamgbose Tomiwa.
They insisted that, as a law enforcement officer, Ayelagbe’s emergence as the chairman of NYCN, contravenes the constitution of the council.
According to them, Ayelagbe cannot act as the chairman of NYCN in the state and also be a personnel of the NSCDC without jeopardising the interest of the youths in the state.
“We are aware that the Act establishing NSCDC did not allow any of his officers to participate in the activities of any organisation that is partisan in nature like the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) which main objective is protecting and promoting the interest of young people in Nigeria at all level of governance.
“We wonder how a law enforcement officer can act in this capacity without jeopardising the interest of the young people it ought to represent.”
The students further alleged that Ayelagbe had falsified his age to allow him contest for the position of the NYCN chairman.
“The Constitution of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) equally disqualifies Abduljabaar Ayelagbe ab initio from contesting for any elective position in the Council because he is above 35 years which is the maximum age recognised by the constitution of the council for all aspirant aspiring to contest for any elective office in the Council.
“He (Ayelagbe) falsified his age which is a capital offence for lying under oath and we hereby urge the leadership of NSCDC to investigate him and equally sanction him accordingly”, the students added.
But Ayelagbe in a swift reaction, denied the allegations by the students, insisting that he was qualified for the position of the NYCN chairman.
Ayelagbe, who spoke to Daily Sun on the phone, said, “What I know is that I am qualified for the office and this Council is a voluntary organisation which is supervising all other voluntary organisations in the state.
On the allegation of falsification of age, he said, “I wouldn’t know where they got that from, but I presented my birth certificate before the council and the public. I have presented all the facts. I’m occupying a public position and I have put all the necessary information about me out in the public domain.
He insisted that there would not be any conflict of interest between the NSCDC and NYCN, submitting “the Youth council is a voluntary service; it is a voluntary organisation meant for youths that are rendering voluntary services to the public.”