TENSIONS IN EDO STATE AS YOUTH COUNCIL CALLS FOR THE REMOVAL OF COMMISSIONER FOR YOUTH AND GENDER ISSUES
BENIN CITY – THERE was tension in parts of Benin City and the state secretariat of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) as some of the members called for the removal of the Commissioner for Youths and Gender Issues, Adaze Emwanta for alleged attempt to foist his crony as the head of the new leadership of the Council.
Armed uniform and plain cloth security personnel were in strategic positions at the secretariat popularly called Youth House along Akpakpava Road in the state capital.
Investigation revealed that the tension may not be far from the 2024 governorship election as some very top political office holders in the current administration want to install youth leaders sympathetic with their course ahead of the election.
Speaking to journalists, the chairman of a five man transition committee set up to conduct election into the association in the next two months, Ehis Osagie requested for the sack of Emwanta saying “the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Edo State chapter have been witnessing a rift in the past few weeks following the failure of the suspended Executive committee led by Comrade Osahon Davison Obasuyi to put machineries in place to usher in a new administration.”
He said based on this the “the management committee which is the second highest decision making organ of the organization after congress, in its wisdom, constituted a five man caretaker committee to put in motion, modalities for the conduct of an election in 60 days which the dissolved executive failed to achieve.”
He called for the retraction of a statement credited to Emwanta where he stated the appointment of one Sarah Igunbor as the chairman of the transition committee to oversee the affairs of the NYCN for the next six months.
A Transition Committee Chairman to function for another six (6) months, which is in total disagreement of the management decision made on Wednesday 26th October, 2022 on setting up of a five Man Caretaker Committee, with a duty in conducting an inclusive election within next 60 days.”
When The Forward News Correspondents went to the office of Emwanta for his reaction, his aide said he was in a meeting with government officials and could not be seen.
