The Northwest stakeholders of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) have adopted Comrade Ahmad Rufai Khalifa, the current Kebbi state chairman of the council, as their consensus candidate for the position of National President ahead of the council’s elective congress scheduled for October 7, 2025, in Abuja.
Rising from a joint meeting held in Kaduna, the stakeholders — comprising state chairmen, voluntary youth organizations, members of the National Transition Committee (NTC), Electoral Committee (ELECO), Constitutional Review Committee (CRC), and former national executives — said the adoption followed wide consultations aimed at fostering unity and fairness.
In a communiqué signed by the convener, Engr. Sale Alhassan Kubah, and Chairman of the Drafting Committee, Comrade Abdullahi Garba Amne, the forum said: “After wide consultations, the zone unanimously adopted Comrade Ahmad Rufai Khalifa, the current NYCN Chairman of Kebbi State, as its consensus candidate for the position of National President.”
The meeting expressed appreciation to Southern Nigeria NYCN leaders for ceding the presidency to the North, describing the gesture as a demonstration of fairness and national cohesion.
“We deeply appreciate the spirit of fairness and unity shown by the Southern stakeholders, which has paved the way for the North to present a candidate in the forthcoming congress,” the communiqué stated.
The Northwest stakeholders also threw their weight behind the position of the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawale, that only candidates under 35 years would be eligible to contest for the top seat, in line with the NYCN constitution.
The forum resolved to adopt the 2012 NYCN constitution as the guiding framework for the conduct of the congress and declared support for a four-year single term for all elective positions in the council.
It further resolved to convene an extended reconciliation meeting of all 19 Northern states’ NYCN leaders and voluntary youth organisations before the Abuja congress to consolidate unity and build consensus.
: