Court Blocks Rival NYCN Election Amid Leadership Dispute
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has intervened in the ongoing leadership crisis within the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) by issuing an interim order to prevent a splinter group from conducting a parallel election.
Justice J. E. Obanor issued the order on October 6, 2025, in response to a lawsuit filed by the NYCN’s Incorporated Trustees and current president Ambassador Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo. The court ruling specifically targets Comrade Ademola Gbenga, Comrade Okechukwu Nnamene, and their supporters, who had planned to hold a separate election on October 7, 2025.
The dispute emerged following the NYCN’s official National Elective Convention held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, from September 20-22, where Ambassador Sukubo secured re-election as President. Dissatisfied with the outcome, Gbenga and other members formed a rival faction and announced plans for an alternative election in Abuja.
In the legal proceedings (suit number FCT/HC/CV/3803/2025 and motion number M/12204/2025), the court named several defendants including Comrades Ademola Gbenga, Okechukwu Nnamene, Abel Abaji, Alex Allen Akin, and Hassan Mamman. The Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Department of State Services (DSS) were also included to ensure enforcement of the court’s decision.
The interim order explicitly prohibits the respondents, their agents, and proxies from organizing the proposed October 7 election or taking any related actions until the motion on notice is heard. Additionally, the court mandated that all parties maintain the current NYCN leadership structure and directed security agencies to enforce compliance with the order.
In the court’s directive, Justice Obanor stated that the decision came after reviewing the ex parte application supported by Ambassador Sukubo’s affidavit and submissions from P. Ulofu Esq., counsel to the applicants.
The case has been scheduled for further hearing on October 16, 2025, when the court will consider the motion on notice. This development marks a significant moment in addressing the leadership challenges within one of Nigeria’s prominent youth organizations.
