IBENO, Nigeria — The Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, Glory Effiong, has suspended the planned election for the Mkpanak Youth Development Association (MYDA). She also directed security agencies to apprehend individuals who attempt to conduct or participate in the election.

The directive, issued on Tuesday, came after Ms. Effiong reportedly received information from the Mkpanak Village Council regarding the upcoming poll. Ms. Effiong shared the statement on her Facebook page.

Mkpanak is a significant coastal community within Ibeno, serving as a key administrative and residential center situated near major oil and gas operations.

The suspension order, which was copied to the paramount ruler of Ibeno, village heads, the divisional police officer, the State Security Services, and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Ibeno Chapter, stated that the election is halted “until further notice.”

Ms. Effiong issued a stern warning: “any person or group of persons who attempts to conduct, facilitate, or participate in the said election in defiance of this directive shall be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.”

She further instructed all village youth presidents in Ibeno to confine their activities to their respective villages and to collaborate with the NYCN on youth development initiatives.

The council chair also directed security agencies to maintain vigilance and ensure strict enforcement of her directive, citing the need to uphold “peace, public safety, unity, and the maintenance of law and order.”

However, the electoral committee responsible for organizing the MYDA election has rejected the chairman's directive. In a public notice posted on Tuesday in the comments section of Ms. Effiong’s Facebook post, the committee asserted that the election would proceed as scheduled.

The notice was posted by a Facebook user identified as Vernatious McCaig Buller. While PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately verify if Mr. Buller chairs the electoral committee, the notice was signed by the “Chairman, Electoral Committee, Mkpanak Youth Development Association.”

The committee contended that MYDA is registered with the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Youth Development and that its internal elections are governed by its own constitution.

Citing Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, and the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution, the committee argued that the local government lacks the legal authority to intervene in the association’s internal electoral processes.

“The Electoral Committee hereby confirms that the internal election of Mkpanak Youth Development Association will proceed according to the already published timeline,” the notice stated.

The committee accused the council chairman of political interference, emphasizing that “such interference has no legal backing and will not be succumbed to.”

They also indicated that they had informed the local government, the police, the State Security Service, and the Ministry of Youth Development about the election. The committee warned that they would seek judicial intervention to protect their fundamental rights if the interference continued.

PREMIUM TIMES was unable to immediately reach Ms. Effiong for comment on her reasons for suspending the election.