Crisis is brewing at the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ogun State chapter, over allegation that a member of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Abduljabar Ayelagbe, has put himself forward as candidate for the chairmanship seat of NYCN in the state.
Some members, particularly students in Ogun State, are also alleging that Ayelagbe is over aged and, as such, unqualified to contest for any position in the council’s election billed to hold today at Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Addressing reporters this morning, Lanre Mosaku, one of the chairmanship candidates for the NYCN, alleged that his opponent, Ayelagbe, is a civil defence officer, hence advised him to withdraw his candidacy and not dabble into unionism.
Mosaku claimed that a petition had been written to the Ogun State Commands of NSCDC and Department of State Security Service (DSS) about the alleged involvement of Ayelagbe in the NYCN election.
He said: “The rule of the council says anyone above 35 years should not be allowed to contest but the only opponent contesting today’s election with me, Mr Abduljabar Ayelagbe, is over 36 years and one is calling on the electoral committee to investigate it. “Also, the man in question is a civil defence officer and wants to be the next chairman even when the civil service rule does not give room for such act. Also, he has violated the civil service rule.
“If the electoral committee should allow (this) illegality, I will have no other option than to call for their arrest. But as people of good integrity, I know they will do the needful.”
Also, the chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Tomiwa Bamgbose, called on the electoral committee to investigate the age falsification claims to ascertain the truth.
Bamgbose urged the NSCDC to investigate and stop Ayelagbe in order not to drag the corps into youth unionism.
Although calls were placed to Ayelagbe’s line three times, he didn’t answer the calls. But the Ogun State Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Hammed Abodunrin, when contacted, admitted seeing copy of the petition written against an individual alleged to be an officer of the corps and said the matter was being investigated.