Sukubo banks on Northern support as he seeks re-election

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Amb. Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, has declared that the goodwill and support of Northern Nigeria remain central to his leadership success, as he appealed for a fresh mandate to return as head of the youth body.

Sukubo made the appeal on Thursday evening at the North-West Consultative Meeting in Kano State, organised by the NYCN Kano State Chapter in partnership with the state government.

The meeting was attended by government representatives, members of the NYCN Board of Trustees, Advisory Council, Management Committee, the seven state chairmen from the zone, zonal leaders, and heads of Voluntary Youth Organisations (VYOs).

“So, today I am soliciting your support, today I am seeking your fresh mandate to continue as your servant leader, to continue as your steward,” he told delegates at the gathering.

The youth leader said the North had consistently been his ‘pillar’ of support since he joined the council, giving him the strength and momentum to climb different ladders of leadership within the NYCN.

“I am here today to appeal to the North-West in particular and the entire North by extension. I have come to let you know how important you are to me, how the North have been supporting my administration since inception. I cannot take your goodwill and support for granted,” he added.

Sukubo noted that his administration’s decision to embark on the revalidation of affiliated VYOs, a step avoided by past leaderships for fear of crises, was deliberate and largely beneficial to Northern youth groups.

He explained that the move was carried out in line with constitutional requirements and to strengthen the legitimacy of the NYCN.

“I decided to take the bull by the horns on my own by embarking on the revalidation exercise. Many National Youth Council Presidents have come and gone; anyone that attempted to do revalidation faced crisis that eventually removed such person from office,” he said.

The initiative, according to him, has produced 18 revalidated VYOs in the North-East, 35 in the North-West, and 31 in the North-Central.

Meanwhile, the Kano State Government lauded Sukubo’s dedication to youth empowerment. The Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mustapha Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, while hosting the NYCN President in his office, said the state recognised the positive impact of his leadership.

Given Kano’s large youth population, the commissioner added, the state government was committed to building strategic partnerships with the NYCN and other organisations to improve the lives of young people.

At the end of the consultative meeting, North-West stakeholders unanimously passed a vote of confidence on Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the NYCN national executives under Sukubo’s leadership.

They also pledged to deliver all delegates’ votes from the zone to him at the forthcoming national elective congress scheduled for 19–22 September 2025.

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