…says no faction in apex Itsekiri youth association

WARRI—THE Itsekiri National Youths Council, INYC, led by Oritseweyinmi Agbateyiniro, has dismissed Mr. Esimaje Awani’s claim to be the National President of the group, saying there is no faction in the apex Itsekiri youth association.

Speaking in Warri, Delta State, INYC Public Relations Officer,  Joseph Uwawah, who faulted the claims by Mr Awani, said: “This action of his is capable of truncating the relative peace existing in Warri metropolis. There was never a time the erstwhile President of INYC handed over the mantle of leadership to him. The attention of the Itsekiri National Youths Council has been drawn to the activities of one Mr. Esimaje Awani parading himself as the president of the INYC.

“Ordinarily, we would not have bothered to issue this statement but for the interest of the unsuspecting general public it behoves us to clarify and set the record straight with regards to the nomenclature of INYC. The INYC has a duly elected executive led by Mr. Oritseweyinmi Agbateyinro. He took over from David Tonwe who took over from Daniel Reyenieju.”

But reacting, Mr Stanley Emiko, Public Relations Officer of Esimaje Awani’s group of INYC, insisted that  Esimaje Awani remained the substantive President of INYC and was duly inaugurated by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli on July 28, 2016, at the Olu of Warri’s Palace (Aghofen).

He said Awani got his mandate from the late Olu (Atuwatse II) in May 2014 with a letter of recognition from the Palace.