The internal squabble rocking the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has intensified as a faction in the group accused another of colluding with the federal government to thwart the efforts organized labor and civil society organizations' (CSOs) efforts to combat the government's fuel price hike.
The internal squabble rocking the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has intensified as a faction in the group accused another of colluding with the federal government to thwart the efforts organized labor and civil society organizations' (CSOs) efforts to combat the government's fuel price hike.
A reliable source informed SaharaReporters that a meeting was scheduled this morning in Abuja between the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalong, and a faction of NYCN where the group was expected to mobilize for counteraction against labor and CSOs.
The source further revealed that the federal government also allegedly mobilized the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) yesterday through Mr. Dalong for a similar counteraction against labor.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of NYCN, Makole Omo Azugbene, told SaharaReporters that the proposed meeting is 'illegal and uncalled for' since it was not facilitated through proper channels.
"Though I'm aware of the meeting with the minister, it is illegal and uncalled for because the group does not have a national executive in place presently and the caretaker committee as well as other organs of NYCN, including the BoT, are not carried along by its facilitators.
"I cannot convincingly tell whether or not the meeting has anything to do with the current protest over the fuel price hike because it was arranged before the increment was announced. But even at that, the facilitators didn't follow proper channels within the organization.
"We told them yesterday that the meeting should either be cancelled or postponed for us to put our house in order."
However, a national leader of NYCN, Dickson Akor, told SaharaReporters that the meeting would be held in Abuja as scheduled, though it had not started by 12:00 PM when he was speaking with our correspondent on the phone.
Mr. Akor emphasized that although NYCN has a national executive presently, there are other organs of the group in place that coordinate such programs.
"There are State chapters and several committees of NYCN in place. These organs are validly qualified to organize programs, including meeting with any individual or group.
"The meeting would have been held last week before the increment in fuel price was announced, but the minister travelled out of the country.
"However, NYCN is entitled to freely hold and express its view on the fuel price hike, either for or against, just like any other group."
The minister could not be reached, as the calls to his phone lines did not go through.