Court halts planned election by factional NYCN

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has stopped a faction of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) from holding a planned election scheduled for October 7.

Justice J. E. Obanor issued the restraining order on October 6, following an application filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the NYCN and Ambassador Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, who leads the council’s current executive.

The court barred the defendants — Ademola Gbenga, Okechukwu Nnamene, Abel Abaji, Alex Allen Akin, and Hassan Mamman from organizing or conducting any election pending the determination of the substantive suit marked FCT/HC/CV/3803/2025.

Justice Obanor further directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to enforce the order.

In their supporting affidavit, the plaintiffs explained that the NYCN held its National Elective Convention in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, between September 20 and 22, during which Ambassador Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo was re-elected as President along with other national officers.

However, Gbenga and his associates, allegedly dissatisfied with the outcome, formed a parallel group and announced plans to conduct a separate election in Abuja on October 7, a move the court has now restrained.