2000 youths’ protest against Comrade Udi
Youths in Taraba State are planning to mobilize a 2000 youths’ protest against Comrade Udi Adamu, whom they accused of holding onto power.
Jethro Yerga and Gaius Jeff, gauge the pause of some of the aggrieved youths
The atmospheric template of the Taraba State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, (NYCN) is insidiously becoming tense, with a palpable fear that it might degenerate into a crisis. Members of the association have decided for a showdown against the outgoing chairman of the association, Comr. Udi Adamu, who they alleged has had his knee on the neck of the Taraba youths, preventing them from breathing.
Comr. Udi Adamu, refused to state his position, when our reporters engaged him, insisting that, he will clarify issues at world press conference that he is planning to organise.
Some of the association members told our reporters that Udi Adamu’s Tenure as the chairman of the association, Taraba State had long elapsed but he was blatantly refusing to conduct election and or quit the office. Consequently, they have unanimously resolved to move on the street in order to air their grievances to the public and the outside world, if nothing different is done soon to address the situation.
Briefing our reporters on the development in his office recently, Barrister Daniel D. Kwanchi, who is also a contestant for the office of the chairman of the association said “We have served all the security apparatus the notice of protest. We have copied to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and even Government House and all have acknowledged the receipt of our notice.
We are determined never to rest on our oars. We will continue to legally and diligently push through our correspondences as far as they can go until justice prevailed in the association”.
Barrister kwanchi said the bone of contention was given birth by NYCN constitution which he noted was the grantor that created the do’s and don’ts of any one that is regarded as a member of the NYCN and Udi Adamu imagines and serving in the capacity of the chairman of the association was born out of the content of the constitution. He maintained that “Article 12.1 (a) of the constitution states that elected officers of the National Youth Council shall be in such office for a non- renewable term of four years and Udi was elected into office on 20th February, 2016.
“As at 20th February, 2020 his tenure of office had elapsed. Constitutionally he had 90 days before the expiration of his tenure to conduct election and hand over at the expiration of those 90 days where by all committees been inaugurated for the purpose of this election will be dissolved at the day of inauguration”.
He explained that their constitution created a privilege whereby, in an event where the tenure of office elapsed and the outgoing executive is unable to conduct election, another 90 days is constitutionally given to them to ensure that elections are been conducted and power is been transfered to the newly elected exco.
It was prior to the 20th May 2020 that Udi and his team realized that their 90 days window period was coming to an end and they were not willing to hand over power that they started strategizing evil ways to remain in office.
“In furtherance to their evil plans, they called a secret meeting on the 29th April, 2020 with the intention of extending his tenure. In view of this, coordinators from Local Government Areas of Taraba State converged at Joly Nyame stadium to adopt Udi Adamu as the extended chairman of the NYCN Taraba State chapter against our constitutional provisions.
“This serious breach of the NYCN constitution compelled the coalition of aspirants for the 2020 congress to put up a security letter which eventually got Udi Adamu and 5 others of his team arrested. It was on that same day that the so called electoral committee declared that the sales of nomination forms and submission had closed automatically on the same day, a conspiracy that was unleashing itself on all the aspirants.
“It was after their release on the 18th May 2020 that the Coalition of the Aspirants alongside Udi Adamu had to enter into a gentleman agreement, a consensus that was taken into focus because of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. It was resolved that the tenure of the current Executive of the NYCN be extended for three months pending the outcome of the pandemic and the term of office is reference to the strict adherence of the NYCN constitution without violation, within the 3 month extension.
“At the expiration of this letter, election could not hold so we were asked to converged at the DSS office where the DSS declared that we should reverse back to the status co, the tenure of Udi as declared by the constitution to have been terminated be regarded as terminated and election be carried out. This we referred back to the national body of the association through a letter dated 17th August, 2020 prior to the expiration of that gentle man agreement.
The national body equally transmitted a letter deeming it feasible for election to be conducted in Taraba State by the state chapter of the NYCN which was served on The Ministry of Youth and Sport as a supervisory ministry for youth. Haven acknowledged the receipt of this letter from the national body the ministry transmitted a memorandum to the desk of the Executive Governor of Taraba State so that he will approve the conduct of the election.
But up till now we are yet to receive or hear the approval of His Excellency regarding the issue.”
Barrister Kwanchi said the next thing they could hear was an unconfirmed rumour that the governor had elongated Comr. Udi’s tenure for a period of two years.
He said the coalition quickly wrote a letter to the executive governor titled: Expiration of tenure of office of the executive officers of NYCN, Taraba state chapter, flagrant abuse of constitutional provisions and failure to conduct election of new executives by the outgoing executive officers of the council and the need to constitutionally elect new executives. But up till now, they are yet to hear the response of His Excellency as to whether the claimed assertion that he has extended Comr. Udi’s tenure to two years is true or false.
Also lamenting on the matter, one of the contestants for the office of the chairman, one Mr Ezekiel Hanmmangabdo said
“As it is now, we don’t have any person or anybody that can be presented as a leader of NYCN in Taraba State. The tenure of the outgoing exco has elapsed, the three months privilege they supposed to enjoy has been exhausted. We all agreed before the DSS and added another three month extra following the Covid-19 lockdown which has also expired. What we are waiting for now is for the governor to approve so that the process of election will take place”.
While commenting on the evil and obnoxious ways of Comr.Udi’s lead administration, Hammangabdo said that at the expiration of their tenure, they had put up an advertisement of forms for sale to contestants in the various offices and about 7 of them came out and bought the form for the position of the chairman.
After sometimes, the electoral committee without regard to the constitution of the association started playing hanky-panky game until their tenure expired.
“As it is now, they have sold out the forms, collected money from people and refused to return the money and or conduct election and they are already dissolved by the power of the constitution. They refused to address the people in this regard as well. All we are hearing from one end to another is that the chairman’s tenure has been elongated.
“As law abiding citizens, we have followed all due and legal processes to put this right but to no avail. We had been in DSS, where we were asked to go and conduct election but until today, nobody is saying anything. The Ministry of Youth and Sport is silent about it. All they told us is that they have sent a memo to the state governor and he is yet to approve it.
“If the youth are pushed to the wall, they might result to go to the street, that time you and I may not be there, so we are advising the people concerned to do the needful” he warned.
On his part, Rt Comrade Phillip Achagwa, a stake holder in the council and the President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Taraba State axis said, Udi had for several times told them that his tenure had been elongated by the governor.
Comr. Achagwa who wondered if the governor detects who becomes a leader in the association, described Udi Adamu popularly known as Udi Pastore as a liar and betrayer who is power drunk. He said if the Governor should get involved in the association matters, he would only call the fractions as a father to settle their dispute not to detect who take over the leadership of the association as claimed by Udi.
While expressing the association’s determination to address what he described as irresponsible behavior of Comr. Udi, and his cohort, Achagwa said if they are continuously pushed to the wall, they would not have any alternative but proceed with a peaceful protests that will bring out not less than 2000 youths on the street so that the government, the international community and the media would know that Taraba youth are angry with what is happening in the state.
Getting the version of Comrde Udi Adamu was a challenge, as he turned down all entreaties by our reporter to clear the air on this important issues. “It is not every interview we grant. Journalists are very dangerous if you just say anything now, they will knock you by the side. More over who are the people that came to give you the report.”He told our reporters.
Udi maintained that there was going to be a press conference soon, where he would address all the issues raised by the coalition of the contestants
