*PRESS RELEASE*

*Since Ndiyo Prince and Hon Eric Akpo have decided to destroy Youth Council*

_Build the Youths! Build the nation!!_

Dear Youths of Cross River State, I greet you all in the spirit of oneness and togetherness. I am deeply saddened by the show of shame orchestrated by Hon Eric Akpo and prince Ndiyo, as regards the ongoing transition process of the Ndiyo's led National Youth Council of Nigeria administration.

The transition process had began smoothly not until members of the Congress Planning Committee were announced and it was so glaring that the process was skewed. We raised our concerns at this point calling on the world and expressing our disappointment in the process where people who had openly endorsed a candidate were made members of the CPC.

Our cry wasn't heard but thank God our voices were heard. All the same we approached the election venue on the 19th day of June 2020. After bringing delegates from all the senatorial districts local government chapters of NYCN in the State, the Elective Congress was postponed citing security reasons. I wonder what were the security challenges when the full apparatus of Security Agencies were present.

Nonetheless , after Allowing delegates to travel back to their Local governments , they called some Local Government Coordinators of the Youth Council and compelled them against their wish to sign a document that has no basis for the conduct of Youth Council elections with a bribe of N10000.

The question then is Why is the Prince Ndiyo formed transition committee afraid of conducting a free and fair elective congress? Perhaps they knew that their preferred candidate can never win in a transparent process. I thought they said they were popular and on ground. They should have tested their popularity in an election. And if they had won, I would have congratulated them.

From the foregoing I had made a commitment to ensure a peaceful process, I had committed myself to ensuring the growth of the Youth Council, but it is obvious that Ndiyo with the aide of some elements in Government have a faulty ideological understanding of what a council should be .Now , they want to destroy the Council.

Having watched keenly and duly followed all that has transpired within the last few days, I therefore, make the following demands if the council will be restored:

1. I demand justice from the Commissioner for Youths and Skills Acquisition. Hon. Signor Omang Idiege is a father who we believe would still prove that he is a good man. History beckons him to ensure the right thing is done. He should call all the delegates in the Youth Council and organise a free and credible Elective Congress. But when he fails to do this as our father then we will be left with no option to than to believe he has been compromised and that would be very unfortunate .

2. That the Security agencies that is, the Police and DSS should intervene to prevent an impending crisis as Prince Ndiyo and his Congress Planning Committee have reneged on the Agreement/ Undertaking we all signed in the interest of peace in the Election and the State.

3. That a new Congress Planning Committee devoid of vested interest should be saddled with the responsibility of conducting a free and fair Elective Congress .

Let me state categorically that I would not accept the fraud that was carried out yesterday. We were not informed of any election and as such I dissociate myself from such an illegality. It is disappointing that Prince Ndiyo has reduced his transition to a mere beer parlour charade. This is not how to install successors. We will resist the imposition of a candidate on us using all constitutional and legal means at our disposal .
This is not how God gives power.

*Comrade Victor Ndifon*
_Chairmanship candidate, NYCN - CRS_

Certainly the Chairman of NYCN, Cross River, is one of the most Corrupt persons in the State!