National Youth Council Suspends President Over Alleged N369m Election Fund

The apex organ of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN on Monday, suspended its National President, Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, over an alleged N369 million he received from political parties and candidates during the 2023 general elections.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the National Executive Council, NEC, equally announced the suspension of the Deputy President, Comrade Innocent Nduanya, and the Secretary-General, Comrade Suleiman Abubakar Abutu.

The suspended officials in an eight-point allegation by the NYCN NEC were accused of engaging in “numerous self-serving activities in the name of the Council.”

Some of the allegations include, “Illegal review of the 2012 Constitution of the National Youth Council of Nigeria: Without recourse to the National Management Committee and without obtaining the approvals of the National Congress and the Board of Trustees. The now-suspended president illegally initiated and completed a supposed review of the Constitution of the National Youth Council of Nigeria in flagrant disobedience to the provisions of the Constitution.

“Forgery: The now suspended president, in concert with the above-named officers of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, in their bid to perfect their illegal amendment of the Constitution and in a very shameful manner, went as far as forging the signatures of certain persons in the process of filing the illegal Constitution they formulated with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

“The now suspended President and officials’ activities in this regard have grossly dented the image of the Council and have since become a subject matter of investigation by the X-Squad section, Force Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) (Force Headquarters, Abuja).

“Unilateral and self-aggrandizing decisions: The now suspended President on numerous occasions unilaterally picked and sent certain members of the NEC to represent the Council in national and international programmes without consulting or obtaining the approvals of the NEC and its members from such states, thereby undermining the decision-making process of the NEC and the Council.

“Activities during the 2023 General Elections: The now suspended President, while seeking self-aggrandisement and without NEC approval, collected about N369,000,000.00 (three hundred and sixty-nine million naira) from major political parties and their candidates in the name of the NEC of the Council during the 2023 General Elections.”

Meanwhile, in the interim, the body appointed Mr. Akoshile Ademola as the Acting President of the NYCN to pilot the affairs of the Council for the next six months, pending the conduct of its Congress.

Those who signed the statement were: Comrade Dotun Omoleye (National Public Relations Officer), Comrade Bashir Garba (National Legal Adviser), Comrade Smart Uwakwe (National Vice President, South East), Comrade Bishop Kanatapwa (National Vice President, North East), Comrade Zaka Nehemiah (National Programme Officer).

Others are; Comrade Izunna Agwuncha (National Organizing Secretary, South East), Comrade Ibrahim Inuwa Dangata (National Organizing Secretary, North East), Comrade Aminu Ubale Funtua (National Organizing Secretary, North West), Comrade Blessing Okwe (National Organizing Secretary, North Central) and Comrade Damola Olugbode (National Organizing Secretary, South West).