North Central Youth Council Of Nigeria(NCYC)

 PRESIDENCY.

NORTH CENTRAL YOUTH COUNCIL OF NIGERIA (NCYC). 

World Press Briefing.

 Theme: IN SEARCH OF RESPONSIBLE NASS LEADERSHIP THE DEMAND FOR INCLUSIVE KEY POSITION FOR NORTH CENTRAL

Gentlemen of the Press.

Today's press briefing will be a fantastic opportunity for a meeting of minds, and to convey our position on the subject matter of this conference.

Events happening in the recent times have once again call for serious concern by all, in view  of our peculiar history, political orientation and the dynamics of national politics over allocating key positions in the national assembly.

The North Central have been hanging in between anger and confusion which ultimately culminated into abject desolation, since silence never won right. We have read various versions of the arguments and submissions being made by some selected members of APC. We can no longer maintain studied silence over this issue pretending that what is happening is normal.

The NWC actions should be viewed with consternation and disappointment as their positions and submissions are dirty to public acceptance. Truly, we are in a difficult times since after the election. Anywhere you turn, the responses one get as a direct output of interaction, are hisses and sighs, such dismissive conclusion isn't the best way to show satisfaction. The ongoing polluted discourse has eroded the principles of equity, justice and fairness which should have guided such process,

what we demand is a template to promote unity and fairness for national cohesion, we as a forum  we against this bias and lopsidedness that should not be even be contemplated in a democracy. Let me recalled that inclusion was crafted since the return of democracy in 1999 which accommodates all the six geopolitical zones in governance such that the four principal positions in the national assembly are shared among the zones other than the zones the President and Vice President hail from.

 If history is our guide, and at a time Nigeria is expected to face a new phase of it's democrat survival, how can the NWC zone the position of the deputy senate president and speaker to North west, while North Central is left in the state of lacuna. Despite the percentage of overall votes polled by each zone in the last election would reveal that while the North Central gave the APC presidential ticket 41percent of it's total votes , North west came third with the 39 percent it gave the President elect. 

APC lost significant number votes in kaduna, kano, kebbi, katsina and won only in three states, while in North Central won overwhelmingly in it's swing state Niger, kwara, Kogi and Benue.

Kaduna for example lost 3 senatorial seat and  11 out of 16 house of representatives seats to PDP, in all fairness, Kaduna State should not be considered for speakership.

There are so many issues begging for attention in APC on daily basis as a result of our peculiar configuration, In fullness of all the issues that  have occupied public space in recent times, we do not seem to be paying attention to details. The NASS leadership crisis is a fraud foretold, this issue got undiluted attention from those who never wanted to miss a line in the full text of the drama. The news has not only been one that could considered exemplary by every standard, it is simply news of corruption and outright political brigandage, we respectfully draw the attention of the good people of North Central to the atrocious disposition and conduct of the party leadership to exclude the north central from the position of NASS leadership. 

 The general election have come and gone, leaving in it's trail, discontent, grievances, ethnic chauvinism, religious bigotry and other divisions that have brought our brotherhood as referred to in our anthem, to question once again. The president elect has a huge tasks ahead of him, the task of nation building, the task of weaving together all the centripetal and centrifugal forces to create aggregate interest for all, under the intricate logic of the skewed federation that we run. 

OUR Demand.

The President elect is not a stranger to constructive engagement and dialogue, he need to ensure every geopolitical zones is given a sense of belongings, most especially North Central Zone which is an integral part of this country felt excluded from national leadership positions. 

For the country to promote peace, unity and integration, North Central deserve to produce the speaker. 

The North Central Youth Council (NCYC) understand that the position of the Senate President should be given to South-South for religious balancing, and the North West for Deputy Senate President, while the North Central should be given the speakership of the 10th assembly, since the North Central have not produced speaker since 1999 and the North West held it for good 12years.

It's pertinent to remind us at this stage that the 3 outstanding problems facing Nigeria presently are:

 (1)The challenge of National Development. 

 (2)The challenge of National Integration. 

 (3)The challenge of building a pan Nigeria leadership cadre.

At this critical time in our Nation history, we don't want a repeat of what happened against the party leadership in 7th and 8th NASS leadership positions. 

We are persuaded by this African proverb that says "The sun does not forget a village because it is small" We call on party elders from the zone, the National party chairman , Governors, former National chairmen, former Governors, former Senate President , former Ministers, and key stakeholders to wake up from their slumber and add a voice to this clarion call to demand for justice to the North Central zone as their continuous silence will only aggravate the intended marginalization of the North Central zone. 

Thank you all for listening.

Signed,

Activist Sunday A. Asuku, 

President General,

North Central Youth Council (NCYC)

Comrade Paul Edoh Gabriel CNS

Publicity Secretary (NCYC)