The Cross River state Commissioner for Youth Development, Odum Ijom Ukam Esq, has convened a meeting of so-called stakeholders of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in the state. This meeting which held in Calabar the state capital metropolis is in respect of the on-going NYCN state elections NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
Stakeholders suggested that the on-going process of selecting the new set of leaders at the NYCN in Cross River is fraught with gross illegalities. Particularly, the process of constituting the electoral body, the Central Planning Committee (CPC) and the failure of the state leadership led by Dan Obo to involve the State Ministry of Youth Development has been roundly declared as incongruous with the modus operandi known to NYCN in the state.
The majority of the stakeholders, comprising former leaders of the NYCN in and from the state, present at the meeting urged the Commissioner for Youth Development to facilitate the righting of the wrong that has been perpetrated in the state council already by the outgoing state EXCO led by Dan Obo.
In his response, the commissioner said he will be meeting with the executive council of NYCN, the CPC and the electoral body as part of further engagement aimed at resolving the crisis in the NYCN.
The meeting resolved to constitute a 5-man Committee comprising himself, the Special Adviser to the Governor on General Matters and member House committee on youth defense and two others from the central and northern senatorial districts. This will be before the state government will take a final decision on what to do.
Recall that recently for two weeks the NYCN in Cross River came under intense public scrutiny over the list of prices of its forms which some christened ‘extortion list’.
Majority of stakeholders present at the meeting observed that the NYCN in the state has been proceeding in errors for a very long period of time. It passionately urged the state Commissioner for Youth to address these various illegalities.
According to the list, a chairmanship aspirant is expected to purchase form at N200, 000 only, with 5 cartons of beer, a (life) goat and a bottle of Whiskey (this is per each senatorial district). For the office of deputy chairman, the price is pegged at N150, 000, a life goat and a bottle of whiskey. The vice chairman and secretary general forms are sold at N100, 000; 5 cartons of beer and a bottle of whiskey; while all other office’s prices of form are sold at N50, 000 only.
