How Nigeria’s Youth President got suspended for Fraud
Ejeye Jolomi
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) is a Government Body that is charged with formulating plans and Implementation of Policies bordering on Youth Development in Nigeria. The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), was established in 1964 and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) is a Council under the Ministry of Youths and Sports, Presidency, Federal Republic of Nigeria. The NYCN is affiliated with Pan African Youth Union and the World Youth Assembly.
There has been in existence, the presence and practice of a bloody corrupt System by Elements within the Ministry of Youths Development which has continually sabotaged the progress of Nigerian Youths by siphoning billions of naira meant for Youth Development in the Country.
Normally, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), is meant to receive an Annual Budget of between 150 million – 500 million Naira to help the Council deliver Optimum Performance but this practice has been abandoned for years now. Nigerians believe that our Youth Leaders are not sincere or concerned. There is even the believe that all Youth Leaders are patronized by Government which is the reason for their silence. Hence, due to this Fraudulent Leadership, the National Executive Committee under Amb Seriagbe Sokubo has suspended Amb Seriagbe Sokubo and his Deputy Innocent Nduanya as the President and Deputy President respectively, of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and Installed Comrade Akoshile Muktar Ademola as the Acting President of National Youth Council of Nigeria.
The Money Laundering System in National Youth Council is orchestrated by some members of the Board of Trustees and some Senior Management Staffs In Ministry of Youth Development along with the Suspended Former President Amb Seriagbe Sokubo. Their Modus Operandi in siphoning the Annual Budget (between 150 – 500 million) meant for National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), is by continually ensuring division in the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), to distract NYCN Youth Leaders, so that while the Youths are fighting themselves through Factions, there would be no Legitimate Body to receive the Annual Budget for the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) then the criminal Elements will now secretly share the money and give Sokubo money alone in Millions of Naira with the exception of the then National Executive Committee (NEC) whom are not complicit in this act, Sokubo acted alone because he wanted Secrecy and he was loved by the Ministry of Youths Development for being a dullard and Incompetent Leader which made the Ministry not to oppose his Leadership because Sokubo is intellectually bankrupt and can be easily manipulated to take less than 5% of the budget for his personal use, while they take the Lion Share of the Annual 150 – 500 million Naira meant for Youth Development Projects. Now, Sokubo never gave any money to the National Executive Council Members to do any project with the excuse that the factional Crises in the NYCN has become a blockade in getting anything from Government, so they claim not to have money and when he gives his loyalists between 5k – 100k, he lies to them that it’s from his pocket, meanwhile they have shared the Annual budget running into 100s of Millions of Naira meant for Projects for Nigerian Youths without being noticed.
The recently suspended President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Amb Seriagbe Sokubo was a thorn in the flesh of Nigerian Youths, he’s disillusioned with the ideology that National Youth Council should suffer due to his sustained Arrogance, Malice and Financial Malfeasance. Sokubo is an Epitome of Corruption, a Channel for Disunity, a Symbol of Incompetence and Failure in leadership. Let me explain, Ambassador Seriagbe Sokubo contested and won the Presidency of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Presidency in 2017 at a fraudulent Congress tagged Jamboree, in 2019, Amb Dr Oladele John Nihi, Comrade Bello Shagari, and Comrade Al Mustapha stepped down from their Offices as duly Elected Presidents of the Council to allow peace to reign in the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and endorsed Sokubo’s Leadership.
Later on, Sokubo exceeded his tenure and when a new Sheriff came on Board, President Emeritus of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Solomon Adodo, there were complaints from sections of the Council, that Sokubo Conspired and bribed an FCT Magistrate Court Judge named Hon. Helila Ilela and framed President Emeritus Adodo over frivolous, malicious, outrageous, petty and provocative allegations, despite his critical health condition at that time and him still healing from the death of his brother. The judge and President Oppressed Adodo and if the Judge wants to try me or contradict me, I will not only drag him to a Higher Court of Jurisdiction, I will forward my Findings to the National Judicial Commission and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation to strip him of his Position fueled with Corruption and I won’t stop there, I will report you to my Political Mentors, Honorable Minister Festus Keyamo (SAN), and Mr Femi Adesina. The issue was meant to be taken to a High Court of Justice but there’s a principle in the National Youth Council that all cases should be handled internally by the Judicial Department of the Council and forbids us from taking it to Court without handling it Internally first, a Law Sokubo broke.
Sokubo’s major backbone is Tein Jack -Rich, it was Tein Jack Rich who Introduced Sokubo to the then Late Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Abba Kyari who further strengthened Sokubo’s Position and Relationship with the Ministry of Youth Development with the belief that Sokubo will Lead the National Youth Council Effectively. Furthermore, Jack Rich wanted Sokubo to help him mobilize Nigerian Youths to Support his Presidential Ambition, which Sokubo failed terribly at, He just used the opportunity to Collect a Toyota Hilux with Siren from the Ministry of Youths and Sports, used Tein Jack Rich’s Chealsea Hotel in Wuse 2 as his Whorehouse where he stays whenever he’s in Abuja, rumor has it that the money Tein Jack Rich gave him for Youth Mobilization, he used it to powder his Nose and mouth with different things. People didn’t want Problem with Tein Jack Rich because of his ties with Sokubo and we all know Tein Jack Rich is a very Wealthy and Powerful Man. However, Sokubo has become redundant to Tein Jack Rich since he couldn’t perform the single task of mobilizing Youths to support Tein Jack Richs’ Presidential Ambition, therefore Sokubo has become useless and not needed again since he has a thorough reputation for being Incompetent. Tein Jack Rich is a good man and has been good to the Youth Constituency, we don’t have problem with him.
Now, in compliance with the directive given to the general Public by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to report Fraud Activities. To that Effect, today, the 31<sup>st</sup> of January, 2024, a Stakeholders Dialogue would take place at Yar Adua centre and part of the ‘Theme’ of this dialogue is focused on ‘Youth’, and the fight against ‘Corruption’ in which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been pinned to be the Special Guest of Honor; In view of this and as a Patriot, I am writing this open Petition to both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to probe the following allegations levelled against the Suspended Former President, Seriagbe Sokubo through my own investigation and findings and his own Former National Executive Council to show you how grossly incompetent and Corrupt Sokubo was. The following corrupt Malpractices include:
Sokubo received 369 million Naira from Political Parties and Candidates during the 2023 General Elections as reported by Bona Naija blog @bonanaija.com.ng
Sokubo Arrogated to himself the Power to Interpret the NYCN Constitution and even imposed himself as the Secretary of the NYCN Board of Trustees.
Sokubo forged documents to facilitate the removal of Members of Board of trustees without following due process and it is contained in the filed petition that was summitted to the Nigerian Police Force in 2020.
Sokubo was one of the few people who didn’t honor the Police Invitation in 2020 when summoned by the Police due to the said Forgery Petition summitted by the Board of Trustee members to the Police Headquarters in 2020. Sokubo must honour this invitation.
Sokubo carries himself bigger than a Sitting Governor, brags and threatens people that he’s untouchable because Tein Jack Rich is his blood Uncle, I wonder why they don’t bear the same Surname.
Sokubo’s Tenure has Expired already and he has been using crisis and disobeying NYCN Constitution to Elongate his Tenure Exactly what a Military dictator would do but with decrees, Sokubo, no decree, no constitution, he’s just described as a fat rich bastard by Council Members.
President Tinubu invited National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and Nigerian Youth Parliament when he assumed Office as President of Nigeria, I was not in the Country at that point but I found it very offensive that the highest Youth Body in the Country, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) wasn’t invited and this is because of Sokubo’s incompetence and Egoistic behaviour. However, I respectfully Inform President Tinubu that the National Youth Council is now United, should be treated with seriousness as we have our own Powers in the Constitution too.
Funny thing is that, Personally, I still love Sokubo, he’s my friend, but I won’t compromise my Principles, good doctrines, high behavioral standards and Integrity to please Sokubo while the Youths of Nigeria are drowning plus Sokubo betrayed me first when I followed him, my life was almost lost with a gun on my head and Sokubo neglected my sacrifice that day to make his program at Ooni of Ife’s Palace a success, he played with my life and I would never risk my life or anything for such an Insensitive fellow again.
In conclusion of the part 1 of this Article, The DG Department of State Services (DSS) should tell his operatives to give the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) the same respect they give to Honorable Members and Senators when we identify ourselves to make our work easier because we also represent the Youth Constituency and are Stakeholders in this Country. Enough is Enough!
I want to also express my dissatisfaction over the Inequality in the disbursement of the 75 billion Naira, Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) meant to develop Youth Talents in the Country. Personally, I had a proposal for the creation of a Web Application which could have been very beneficiary to all the Youths in the Country, It can have data on every single Youth in Nigeria and can also help in the proper disbursement of the 75 billion Naira, Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) where the data of these Youths will help us know jobless Youths, their skills, where and how they can be employed in an area they will function well, the ones that need skills acquisition and also develop Youths with talents and innovative ideas. Now I urge The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to probe how the 75 billion naira, Nigerian Youth Investment Fund was disbursed by the Ministry of Youth Development.
Now, the trick they used was 25 billion Naira from the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) was meant to be disbursed in 2020 to develop Youth Talent. Now, no single Nigerian Youth got or benefitted anything from the 75 billion naira, Nigerian Youth Investment Fund, there’s not a single project for Youths with that 75 billion Naira Nigerian Youth Investment Fund and the Ministry’s grand plan was that after 2020, in 2021,, they would say only 50 billion naira is remaining. The Criminal Masterminds in the Ministry would now will now instruct their mercenaries to fabricate some fake statistical Data as to how the remaining 50 billion Naira would be disbursed to Improve the living standard of Nigerian Youths, meanwhile, nobody would ask about the 25 billion Naira meant for 2020. President Buhari meant well for Nigerian Youths but I make bold to Inform him that some Criminal Mastermind in the Ministry of Youth Development along with other conspirators worked hard to discredit Former President Buhari’s Administration and Incite the Youths against his Government by squandering money meant for Youth Development. President Buhari assented to the “Not Too Young to Run Bill”, by signing the bill into law which shows he actually had love for Nigerian Youths. Let’s not forget he was a military Head of State in his glorious Youthful days.
My advice is that there must be factual evidence to show that the 75 billion naira, Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) got to all Youth Organizations and every single Nigerian Youth in the Country.
One major Solution to help Youths gain Political Power is through proper communication and Unity. The so-called Elders never go into the street to cause damage themselves but they simply incite the Youths against each other, so if all Youths in Nigeria, irrespective of Tribe and Religion can learn to co-exist and never see themselves as enemies, the Elders can never be able to manipulate us to their advantage.
NOTE:This Article is not alleging or accusing anyone of anything, I am just trying to help the Law Enforcement Agents do their work especially since the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has become very serious with tackling fraud, they are even holding a Program at Yar Adua Centre today to that effect.
I hereby Conclude the Part 1 and Part 2 of this Article by announcing my Intention to be Nigeria’s Youth President in 6 Months time from now, when I contest for the Office of the President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) during the next Elective Congress.
About Comrade Ejeye Jolomi
Comrade Ejeye Jolomi is a and National Public Relations Officer at National Youth Council of Nigeria in 2019.
Ranking Member, Media Directorate/Media Director at Headquarters, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN).
ICT and Publicity Director, Office of the Commissioner for Youth Political Participation in
Current Board Member and Head of Media and Publicity at West African Youth Assembly.
Senior Special Assistant on ICT to the Vice President, Pan African Youth Union till date.
National Youth Mobilization Director, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Support
CEO/Senior Editor, Jolomi blog @jboy at jolomi.com.ng
National Coordinator, Coalition of Progressives Youth till date.
