The most youthful electorate in Nigerian history will head to the polls soon to decide the next youths executives of Igbuzo Youths Council . Numerous incidents have already marred the election. Authorities can take several steps to lessen the dangers before, during and after the vote. In this exclusive interview with Newsbreeze, the Igbuzo Youths Electoral Committee Chairman and Secretary speaks on the Youths election in Igbuzo , their achievements and challenges amongst sundry issues. Excerpts!
Can we meet you sir?
Chairman: My name is Barrister Charles Nwaogwugwu ,a legal practitioner, I have my office here in Igbuzo. I am the Chairman of Igbuzo youth electoral committee and by my side here is the secretary of the committee, Amb. Vincent Olimimah.
How did you emerge the Chairman of this Committee?
Chairman: I was called and was told that I was going to be a member, and after the first inaugural meeting , the members appointed me as the Chairman being the lawyer in their midst so I accepted the chairman position.
Were you people elected legally or appointed?
Chairman: We were appointed by the provision of Section 13 sub section 1-10 of the constitution of Igbuzo Youths Council (IYC)everything concerning our appointment was legal and I told them that we have to follow the constitution strictly.
Sir, How did you people come about the list of the committee?
Chairman: What the constitution says is clear. The constitution says one from every Ogbe and we are ten. Everybody is elected and we added the past presidents because of their wealth of wisdom and understanding of Igbuzo. One of the problems we have in Igbuzo is that when a man is not part of a particular thing he becomes angry and want to fight the system. By the provision of section 12 of the Igbuzo Youth constitution, made it clear that the past presidents are to play the role of advisory members, and a representative from each ogbe of the ten villages that make up Igbuzo. My Secretary is an automatic member from the provision of the constitution. The constitution says that the secretary of the council must be an automatic member.
Sir, what is the role of HRM,Obuzor in Igbuzo Youth Council.
Chairman: The role of the Obuzor by the provision of Section 12 of the youths constitution ,says that the Obuzor will be acting in Advisory Capacity ONLY.
How come the Obuzor released a list of new Youths Electoral Committee for the election?
Chairman: To be honest with you, I was surprised when I saw the new list. Ordinary by Section 12 of the constitution the Obuzor has no right to do so, it is only the out-going President Ifeanyi Asiodu based on section 13 sub section 1-10 of the constitution that has the right to select and inaugurate the electoral committee . For me, that list is unconstitutionally and unacceptable to Igbuzo Youths Council.
what is the Position of the youths based on the Obuzor list
The new list infuriated the youths actually, they had wanted to protest, but they felt it was not necessary. So we decided to seek a legal redress to enable the court interpret the constitution to everybody and to bring peace to Igbuzo because I don’t want rancor or chaos in Igbuzo. I wouldn’t want a situation where the palace will be ridiculed also. Hence we had to go to court. It is not we that took HRM to court but the constitution. We sort for an injunction to hold on at the moment and after the decision of the court if the court decides otherwise no problem, if it decides that section 13 should go ahead no problem as well, we will move ahead.
There was an allegation that last week the committee went to Obuzor to beg for forgiveness and he gave the Committee a condition that the case must be withdrawn first before he will talk to the Committee. Is it true or false?
Chairman: We wish to inform the public that a group of mediators, led by Mr. Paul Okobi, had met with the Obuzor earlier on two different occasions to address the ongoing issues between him and the Youth Council. Meanwhile, at our various discussion with the us, we were unanimous in the fact that the Obuzor of Ibusa is our father and further stated that the intent of the court case was not intentionally done to malign his name and the institution but was in their wisdom to allow Obuzor know that he was not perhaps sincerely well informed by some of the committee members that had the meeting with him which gave rise to the new Electoral Committee list that was published. After much discussion, they agreed that inserting Obuzors name in the suit was though almost inevitable but not morally acceptable to all as we have not explored all other viable communication channels to reach him and explain our grievances.
After another discussion with the Obuzor’s, HRM eventually agreed to receive us, hear us out and speak with us as a father to chart a way forward for the good of the community. The meeting was slated for 10.00 am on Friday,14th February, 2025, at Obuzors Palace.
Consequently, we all agreed to move as a body to the palace, to seek his face as our father, our King and for the honour and dignity of the institution.
What is your right?
Chairman: Our right is that we must follow the Constitution.
Are you saying that the list from Obuzor is unacceptable by the Youths?
Chairman: It is unacceptable as much as we are concerned. The list does not constitute the provision of the constitution that must comprises the ten(10) villages of –Otu-UWOLO, Otu-ODOGWU and Otu-IYASE it does not. Unlike the previous list that was brought out by the out -going Igbuzo Youths President. That was in line with the provision of section 13 sub section 1-10.
Sir, from the new Obuzor list ,an aspirant was included in the list. What is your take on this?
Chairman: That is the magic of the list. we are surprise that an aspirant who bought a form to contest for the position of secretary of Ogboli Youths in the person of Daddy Concept was included in the list. How can somebody vying for a position be a member of the electoral committee list? It is wrong and unconstitutional.
Sir, Do you think that list is from HRM or someone is trying to manipulate the Palace ?
Chairman: Honestly speaking I respect the palace and HRM a lot. I think the list did not emerge from him. Somebody is working on him because if he is properly advised he wouldn’t have gone to this extent of releasing such list.
Sir, the Patrons of Igbuzo Youths Council in the persons of Most Distinguished Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi, Pst. Idowu Okeze and Chief Elvis Okonji addressed the youths and warned that people should stay clear from the youths election ,What do you have to say?
Chairman: We want to assure the patrons and the entire Igbuzo people, that we are men of integrity. It’s our sole responsibility to conduct a free and fair election for Igbuzo and as far as this committee is concern ,nobody can influence nor intimidate this committee. Since this is the first time we are conducting youths election according to the constitution , all we need is the full support of the entire Igbuzo people because the best popular candidate must emerge by the grace of God almighty.
There’s an allegation that the election is supposed to start from the Ogbes but you people decided to start from the central, why?.
Secretary: The constitution was very clear. Section 13 sub section (1 )makes it very clear. It says that this committee will be elected and saddled with the duties of electing and conducting elections into the central positions and Ogbe elections and positions as the case may be. The basic ones that must come first are the central. Let me add more. A lot of people are saying why are we allowing the president that has served before to be the one to generate the delegates and I asked have we ever used this constitution before?
The last election was not conducted with this constitution. At the time election was held ,this constitution was not signed. The constitution was signed after the inauguration of the executives. I must say that majority of our people are not knowledgeable about the new constitution and some persons have been paid to sell wrong information to the Igbuzo public just to cost confusion. The various Ogbe president were not elected when they came in for the first time. We are test running this election with our lay down constitution and nobody can change it. We want to assure all candidates that the next Igbuzo Youths President must emerge through credible poll and not by appointment or intimidation.
Sir, the Igbuzo Youths Council vowed that they will not allow external body to conduct or influence their election?
Secretary: My brother it cannot happen in Igbuzo my town. We have our constitution and it is not stated that anybody outside the youths council will conduct our election ,so any group of persons who are lobbying to bring in anybody to disturb our election will fail woefully because we are wiser now than before. The youths body should be allow to elect their leaders and we don’t need any external interference in this election.
What are your takes and the way forward on the election?
Secretary: The constitution gives the out going President of Igbuzo Youth Council the legal right to conduct the election that will pilot new youth executives. If you have issues with that then come to us then we will look at what you are saying because we are human beings . Candidates have already bought the election forms, made to go to places to get their results, went to court to stamp their forms, sworn affidavits,submitted their forms to the committee, screened and they knew what they saw when they came for screening and for goodness sake, you don’t throw such a process just at a wave of hand. That is a complete injustice to human and injustice to one is injustice to all. All youths must stand at this point and understand that where they stand is where they need to stand.
Chairman The provision of the constitution is very clear. Like I said we have gone to court not to fight our dear father HRM Obuzor. We went to court to interpret the constitution. We are assuring you that if the court decide that the Obuzor has the right to constitute the electoral committee we cannot fight the court, we will definitely abide by the courts order but if the court says otherwise, we will go ahead with the election by the time frame we are given. So we are waiting for the court.
Sir, are you saying you people are not withdrawing the case based on the last meeting held with the Obuzor?
Chairman: At the moment, by the publication made by the Obuzors Director of information which was inimical to our integrity, it is becoming difficult for the Committee to decide what to do.
Secretary: We came to make peace and discuss with our father but when we came back what we read from the Director of Information of the Palace made it impossible for us to believe anyone obviously.
Chairman: It is quite unfortunate that somebody will regard us as ill mannered . It has not been explained to us why some committee members have been removed and it tells a lot about those peoples integrity. How will they look at them outside the community or even within the community. I will be a failure if I decide to work otherwise.
Secretary: Same here.
What assurance are you people giving to Igbuzo people?
Chairman: I am assuring the Igbuzo people that definitely it is not a fight. It is for us to get things done in the right way. We are not fighting our Royal Father. He is being pushed by some people but that is not the issue. What I can assure our Igbuzo people is that we will get these things done by the grace of God, the election will definitely come to pass.
Secretary: The Igbuzo people should understand that the Youths Council means well for them. The committee was clearly carefully selected and at as the time for the preparation for the election, not one person in the committee had an idea of who was on top or who was going to win. Integrity was the watch word. What we stand for is what we still stand for. Integrity and I will use this word ALUTA CONTINUAL VICTORIA ASCERTA (The struggle continues victory is certain)
