The Nkanu Youth Organisation(NYO), the recognised umbrella body for youths across the six Local Governments of Enugu East Senatorial Zone, has clamped indefinite suspension on its President, David Nwachukwu over “serious misconducts”, including undermining Enugu State Government.
The National Executive Council of NYO announced the removal of its leader at a press conference in Enugu on Tuesday, saying that the suspended president was also impeding development of Enugu East zone by frustrating development partners.
The youth body is composed of youths from Nkanu East, Nkanu West, Isi-Uzo, Enugu East, Enugu South, and Enugu North LGs, that make up Enugu East zone, where the Governor Peter Mbah comes from.
The National Secretary of NYO, Chukwuemerie Padrepio Ugwu, who read a statement endorsed by all the seven members of the executives, said that the Vice-president of the youth body, Pharm Gideon Nwafor has been as the Acting President.
The group said that the decision to remove its president was taken after investigations into allegations of financial malfeasance levelled against Nwachukwu(a.k.a Dika Dave).
It said that the “internal protocol” of the organisation was activated following the numerous allegations made against the suspended president, including “fraudulent collection of ₦10 million using the name of a non-existent faction”.
NYO also stated that Nwachukwu engaged in persistent abuse of office, sponsored attacks on illustrious leaders of Nkanu land, to the tune of N2 million, and diversion of money meant for the registration of the body with the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC).
“Upon the conclusion of this process, the Council established that the allegations were credible, weighty, and fundamentally incompatible with the standards of leadership expected in NYO,” the youth body said.
“The findings revealed acts of financial misappropriation, abuse of office, diversion of organisational funds, unauthorised collection of monies in the name of NYO, actions undertaken to undermine government institutions, and repeated unilateral decision-making without recourse to the appropriate organs of the organisation”.
According to the youth organisation, it became imperative that Nwachukwu had to be suspended with immediate effect “in view of the gravity of these findings and the need to safeguard the integrity, unity, and future of the Nkanu Youth Organisation.
The leadership of NYO tendered unreserved apologies to illustrious sons and daughters of Nkanu land, who had fallen victim of their former President’s alleged sponsored attacks, saying that such “did not represent the ideals, aims and objectives of NYO stands for”.
Apart from the indefinite suspension, NYO also stripped Nwachukwu of all organisational privileges and authorities previously vested in him, adding that he “no longer represents the Nkanu Youth Organisation in any capacity whatsoever going forward”.
“He is not authorised to speak for, act on behalf of, or engage with any individual or institution in the name of Nkanu youths,” the statement said.
“Any correspondence, appearance, negotiation, or public statement made by him henceforth should be regarded as null, unauthorized, and lacking the mandate of the youths of Nkanu land,” it added.
The Executive Council mandated the acting President “to stabilise the organisation, coordinate reconciliation efforts, restore financial discipline, and oversee the affairs of the union pending the election of a substantive President within the appropriate timeframe”.
It stated that the matter concerning the suspended President “has been referred to relevant authorities for additional investigation and possible recovery of misappropriated funds”.
