…Describes Critics of Chijioke Ihunwo As ‘Impostors’
The new Chairman ofEmohua Local Government Area (EMOLGA) chapter of the National Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Friday Ovumgba has dispelled insinuations of the existence of faction in the Council in Rivers State.
Speaking to journalists in Emohua, headquarters of Emohua Local Government Area shortly after he was inaugurated as new the leader of the group in the LGA last weekend, Ovumgba said those making such insinuations are doing so out of mischief or by sheer ignorance of the state of affairs.
He reemphasized that the only NYCN in Rivers State that is authenticated by the law, is the body headed by Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo, and described those opposed to the State Chairman as impostors.
His words: “Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo is the Chairman of NYCN in Rivers State and he occupies the State Secretariat of the Council. He is recognized by the Rivers State Government and the State Commissioner of Youths Affairs. Any other person parading to lead NYCN in Rivers State is nothing but an impostor and would be treated as such”.
He said a court matter instituted by those opposed to Ihunwo has been decided in his favour, noting that his opponents have not appealed the ruling. He said until the matter is upturned, Ihunwo remains the authentic Chairman of the body.
According to him, faction existed at the national level of NYCN where Ambassador Sokubo Sara-Igbe superintended as National President of one of the factions. He added that the scenario played out during the recent visit of Senator Godswill Akpabio to the commissioning of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) headquarters in Port Harcourt where, according to him, “someone else was recognized as NYCN President rather than Sara-Igbe”.
Ovumgba who described his emergence as EMOLGA Coordinator of NYCN, as the birthing of a new down, added that his major priority is to unite the youths to forget the ugly experiences they were subjected to by his predecessor.
“My predecessor, handled the affairs of NYCN in Emohua like his personal business. He privatized the body and never allowed any member of the Exco to work with him. As his Deputy then, I made sure after my emergence, to include all members of the previous Exco to the new executives list”, he said, vowing to set up a committee to probe the outgone Coordinator foralleged embezzlement of funds and gross misconduct.
The EMOLGA NYCN Coordinator described as ridiculous and appalling a situation where, in his words,’a man who lost election twice in his ward would, out of frustration, be telling people that he is now the State Chairman of NYCN’.
“I am urging the general public to disregard any information linking anyone’s name, other than Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo to the leadership of NYCN in Rivers State. The man opposing Ambassador Ihunwo is an impostor and has been suspended from youth activities in his ward and local government and at such, does not have any legal right to vie for any position”, he declared, drumming again that the authentic Chairman of NYCN in the State is Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo.
On the claim of NYCN not having an office in EMOLGA, Ambassador Ovumgba said money has been sourced to secure a standard office in Emohua, even as plans have been concluded to organize a Youths Summit in the area as well as giving financial support to 14 youths of EMOLGA to procure Jamb Forms.
