Ibeno Council Chairman Halts Youth Election, Orders Arrests for Defaulters

The Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, Glory Effiong, has stopped the planned election for the Mkpanak Youth Development Association (MYDA). She has also told security agencies to arrest anyone who tries to hold or join the election.

This order was given on Tuesday. Ms Effiong said it followed a report from the Mkpanak Village Council about the upcoming election.

Ms Effiong shared the statement on her Facebook page.

Mkpanak is an important coastal town in the area. It serves as a major administrative and residential center in Ibeno, close to key oil and gas areas.

In her directive, which was sent to the paramount ruler of Ibeno, village heads, the divisional police officer, the State Security Services, and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Ibeno Chapter, Ms Effiong stated that the election was suspended "until further notice."

She warned that "any person or group of persons who attempts to conduct, facilitate, or participate in the said election in defiance of this directive shall be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law."

She also told all village youth presidents in Ibeno to work only within their villages and to partner with the NYCN on youth development issues.

Ms Effiong instructed security agencies to be alert and ensure strict enforcement of her directive. She said the order was made "in the interest of peace, public safety, unity, and the maintenance of law and order."

Electoral Committee Responds

The electoral committee in charge of the election has rejected the directive.

In a public notice posted Tuesday in the comments of Ms Effiong's Facebook post, a user named Vernatious McCaig Buller said the election would go on as planned.

PREMIUM TIMES could not confirm if Mr Buller is the chairman of the electoral committee, but the notice was signed by the "Chairman, Electoral Committee, Mkpanak Youth Development Association."

The committee argued that MYDA is registered with the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Youth Development and operates under its own constitution.

They cited Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, and the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution. They maintained that the local government has no legal power to interfere in the association's internal elections.

"The Electoral Committee hereby confirms that the internal election of Mkpanak Youth Development Association will proceed according to the already published timeline," the notice said.

They also accused the council chairman of political interference. They insisted that "such interference has no legal backing and will not be succumbed to."

The committee added that it had informed the local government, the police, the State Security Service, and the Ministry of Youth Development about the election. They warned they would seek judicial enforcement of their rights if the interference continued.

PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately contact Ms Effiong for her reasons behind suspending the election.