OKYC: Akuna’s Presidency Will Last Till 2023, Media  Commitee Explains  | The Liberator

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By Binebai Princewill

Following counter and cross counter reactions via the media that has recently engulfed the leadership of Ogulagha Kingdom Youth Council, OKYC, media committee of the body has taken out time to explain why the current leadership will continue till 2023.

This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Warri earlier today, signed by the duo of Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete, chairman media committee OKYC and Comr. Roland Dede, secretary, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspaper.

Dr. Okotete and Comr. Dede explained that there is an agreement among members of Ogulagha kingdom for automatic tenure of six years, stressing that out of the three zones that constitutes OKYC, two zones have already benefited from the six years arrangement as such would continue until the current leadership will elapse by 2023.

The statement noted that there is no new leadership anywhere in the Ogulagha Kingdom Youth Council, OKYC, adding that the Timi Akuna’s leadership remains and that it will continue till 23.

The statement read in full below: “RE: Ogulagha Kingdom Youth Council Press Release on the purported election of two new national leaders of the Council.

“The attention of the leadership of the OKYC has been drawn to a recent malicious and misleading publication accredited to Mr Anthony Waterwei and Torke Denyefa. They are the President and Secretary respectively of Ogulagha Community Youth Association in respect to a purported election conducted to replace the present Ogulagha Youth Council leadership led by Hon.Timiadi Justice Akuna as against the constitutional provisions and six (6) uninterrupted years rotational agreement reached by all zones, which the other two past administrations had enjoyed.

“The publication is an unconstitutional and failed ploy to disrupt the temporal peace enjoyed by the people of Ogulagha Community owing to the fact that we have just survived a nightmare as a people.

“First, our system is well structured, defined and democratically guided by a constitution. That is the Ogulagha Kingdom Youth Council Constitution of 2014.

“For clarity, there is an “ongoing circle” that grants automatic two term of 3 years. That is a total of six 6 years arrangement for each office holder. This arrangement started with the two previous administrations led by its former presidents from the Sokebolou/Yokiri axis and other from the Obotobo 1& 2 zone. It was agreed in the Constitution that the “ongoing circle” would end with this present administration led by Hon.Timiadi Akuna from the Ogulagha/Youbebe zone after completing an uninterrupted 6 year-stretch. This arrangement was stipulated that “No automatic second term in the same office after completing the ongoing circle”.

“Also, in the same Constitution, Article Seven-Section 1 & 3 – defines the election process which also saddles the general meeting the responsibility of setting up a central electoral body whose primary responsibility is to oversee and conduct elections in conjunction with the zonal youth leadership after the “ongoing circle” is completed in 2023.

“The purported election reported in Egbema Voice was outrightly denied by Counsel to Mr Anthony Water -President Ogulagha Community Youth president before the presiding Judge Honourable Justice J. A. Edun at the last day of hearing on February 5, 2020. The next date: February 26. The Case number: HCB/21/2019 wherein Parties are Hon Justice Timiadi Akuna vs Mr. Waterwei Anthony & Anor of the Bomadi High court in Delta State. As civilised people with a very high respect for the rule of law, we wouldn’t want to take the laws into our hands but rather seek for clear interpretation in accordance with our constitution of 2014 OKYC guiding us as a people.

“Further, in the above mentioned case, there is a motion for interlocutory injunction pending, seeking to restraint Mr. Waterwei Anthony Okilo & his cohort from doing what they claim to have done. They have been aware of the motion since January 9, 2020. They have filed their responses, but they could not wait for the Honourable Court to decide before they acted on the same issue that is before the court. By their actions, they deliberately want to create anarchy and make reasonable people in the society look at the Youths of Ogulagha community as lawless and unguided. But, we the youths of Ogulagha Kingdom would not act in a way that would be interpreted to mean that we have no respect for the courts of this Nation, especially a high court of Justice.

“Hence, the general public should disregard any news of any election that was allegedly held to prejudge the decision of a high court of justice, which court is seeking to interpret the constitution of the OKYC, 2014.

“On February 27, 2017, the tenure of office of all the Executive officers of Hon Timiadi Justice Akuna-led administration was published as a 6-year tenure. It was published in the Vanguard newspaper. Mr. Waterwei Anthony Okilo and his cohort were aware of that publication. It’s also worthy to note that the Hon.Justice Timiadi Akuna led OKYC tenure will elapse in 2023 which is in line with the six (6) years rotational agreement reached by all zones which his predissesors also enjoyed from the other zones of the kingdom.” The OKYC media committee stated.

Meanwhile, all efforts geard towards reaching out to the other party proves abortive.

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