BY:.VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
The reconstituted Congress Planning Committee of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Cross River state chapter has fixed July 17th, 2020 for the elections.
Main while, the committee is still negotiating for the venue for the election and had promised to communicate same to all aspirants and delegates as soon as possible.
Speaking to Online media practitioners in Calabar yesterday, the Chairman and Secretary of the CPC, Comrades Eyo Boco (JP) and Leonard Akwo respectively, the committee said the date was fixed after wide consultations with all stakeholders.
According to the committee, “every aspirant and delegates is expected to take strong note of the above date and follow accordingly, as we are committed to deliver a transparent and hitch free elections come the 17th day of July 2020”.
The CPC further added that “we would not allow any individual come in between us and the delivery of a free, fair and credible elections for the youths of Cross River. We would put in all that it takes to get the right thing done, paying no compromising regard to no one”,
The National Youth Council of Nigeria is the umbrella body of all youths in Nigeria and has its chapters in all States and Local Government Areas. Cross River as a state in Nigeria also hosts a Chapter in that order.
It was established and given legal recognition under the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1 of 1990, Part C of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It has the mandate to operate and regulate all the activities of youths existing within the Nigerian territorial borders, Cross River, inclusive.
Therefore, “as a legitimate Youth organisation of the country, she is governed and administered through a well thought out constitution, as initiated, written and adopted by a well constituted congress as the council’s sole working document”.
The Congress, deriving its powers and guidance from the NYCN constitution, was empowered to constitute, regulate and as well dissolve every committee meant to conduct the activities of the council. Activities such as youth weeks, local government elections, state elections, national elections, etc. are all executed by committees as mandated by and in Congress.
As a result of above, the Congress is the most powerful tool of the council, possessing the SOLE right to override every decision made in the Council.
Consequently, it could be recalled, in exercising its constitutional rights , the Congress dissolved the former Congress Planning Committee which failed in its mandate to conduct an election for the Council on the 19 June, 2020. To fill the imminent lacuna, another Planning Committee was constituted by Congress on the same date, on the floor of Congress and were charged to facilitate the conduct of a fresh elections within 30 days”.
“A Congress Planning Committee had to be re-constituted owing to a vote of no confidence passed against the former on account of too many irregularities exhibited”.
Therefore, by the power trusted on the new CPC by Congress of the 19th day of June, 2020, we hereby announce the following,”that our sole mandate is to plan and midwife a process which would birth a Congress that would see to the emergence of a brand new state executive council through a very constitutionally credible, free and fair elections and had accepted this responsibility, with an absolute allegiance to the entire youths of the State, having it in mind that we could be dissolved at any point in time by the same Congress should we compromise or mislead the council in the slightest possible form.
The CPC during the period under review had held a couple of consultative meetings with stakeholders across board (Security and Ministry of youth, etc). We have also had several interface with NYCN Advisory Council in the state, and we have received their nods to forge ahead with the process.
