The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has described the allegations against its President, Ambassador Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, as malicious and unfounded. The Council also denied claims of Sukubo’s expulsion, dismissing such reports as the handiwork of mischief-makers.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its annual national congress held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the NYCN cautioned the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to be vigilant against those intent on creating confusion and crises within the Council.
The Secretary-General of the Council, Suleiman Abubakar, who signed the communiqué, stated that the congress was attended by members of the NYCN national executive, over 28 state chapters including the FCT, members of the Advisory Council, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiatives, Monitoring, and Delivery.
The congress passed a vote of confidence in the Sukubo-led national executive, granting it the mandate to invoke the relevant sections of the NYCN constitution to discipline members involved in acts of insubordination, impersonation, illegal congresses, financial misconduct, and other constitutional violations.
The Council called on all levels of government, corporate organizations, and the general public to disregard the rumour entirely. It also urged security agencies to investigate the source of the false claims and take necessary action to prevent any breakdown of law and order within the youth constituency.
The congress unanimously adopted the report of the Constitutional Amendment Committee, which reviewed the 2018 NYCN constitution. The amendments, which took immediate effect, aim to strengthen the Council’s structure and improve administrative efficiency. Changes include revisions to the age limit for membership, the creation of diaspora chapters, expansion of the National Executive Council, and the establishment of community youth councils to enhance grassroots participation and broaden youth inclusion across the country.
Furthermore, the congress adopted the report of the Affiliation and Revalidation Committee, which validated 83 voluntary youth organizations and de-affiliated 21 others for failing to meet revalidation requirements. Two committees the Congress Planning Committee and the Electoral Committee were also set up to oversee the forthcoming elective congress that will usher in a new national executive for the NYCN.
