The town of Ibusa in Delta State is facing a major problem because of changes made to the committee in charge of the upcoming youth elections. Many young people in the community are upset and believe that powerful figures are trying to interfere in the process.
Why Is This Important?
Youth leadership is very important in Nigerian communities. Young people play a big role in governance, and they are usually allowed to elect their own leaders without interference from elders or government officials. However, in Ibusa, things are not going as planned.
What Happened?
Originally, the Ibusa Youth Council election was supposed to take place in April 2024. But the Chairman of Oshimili North Local Government, Hon. Innocent Esenwezie, asked for it to be postponed. The youth leadership at the time, led by Chief Ifeanyi Asiodu, agreed to the delay to focus on other issues like the local government elections and youth-related matters in the community.
After months of waiting, young people in Ibusa started demanding a new election. In response, the outgoing youth leadership set up an 11-member electoral committee, as required by the Ibusa Youth Council Constitution. This committee, led by Barrister E. Charles Nwaogwugwu as Chairman and Amb. Vincent Oliminah as Secretary, was given the responsibility of organizing a fair and transparent election.
To ensure everything was done properly, the electoral committee visited the traditional ruler of Ibusa, HRM Obi Prof. Louis Nwoboshi, as well as the Local Government Chairman, Hon. Innocent Esenwezie. Both leaders supported the election process and promised to let it proceed smoothly.
The Shocking Change
However, just a few days before the scheduled election on February 2, 2025, the traditional ruler called for a meeting and suggested postponing the election. After the meeting, something unexpected happened—a new list of electoral committee members was released from the palace.
Shockingly, 70% of the original committee members were removed, and new names, including elders and even a Chief Priest, were added—people who are above the age limit for youth leadership. Many young people were outraged because this goes against the Ibusa Youth Council Constitution, which states that only the youth president can form the electoral committee.
What’s the Problem?
Many youths believe that the Local Government Chairman, Hon. Innocent Esenwezie, is behind the changes and is trying to install his preferred candidate as the next Youth President. This is seen as a serious violation of their rights. The traditional ruler, HRM Obi Prof. Louis Nwoboshi, does not have the constitutional power to form the youth electoral committee, but only an advisory role.
What Now?
The situation has created a lot of tension in Ibusa, and if not handled properly, it could lead to serious problems in the community. The angry youths are now demanding that:
- The traditional ruler and the local government chairman should stay out of the election process.
- The original electoral committee, formed by the youth leadership, should be restored.
The youth of Ibusa want a free and fair election without interference from powerful individuals. If this issue is not resolved quickly, it could lead to a major crisis in the community.
