By Yemi Itodo

Foremost youth based organisation, Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) was on Saturday, presented with the award of 'Most Endorsed Initiative in the 8th National Assembly', by the Nigeria Assembly News, a news platform for legislative activities across the country.

Presenting the award to PCN in Abuja, the project coordinator, Omoboye Adeboye, said the Bill for an Act to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps as passed by both chambers was the most popular and widely endorsed legislative piece in the entire 8th Assembly.

Adeboye thanked the leadership of the organisation for coming up with such a laudable and youth attractive initiative which became an indispensable Bill that received massive endorsement from both chambers of the National Assembly.

Deputy National Commandant of Peace Corps, Dr. Edet Ekpeyong, while receiving the award on behalf of the organisation, thanked members of the National Assembly for the resounding support accorded the Bill.

Though President Muhammad Buhari declined assent to the Bill, but Ekpeyong said he was optimistic that the dream of founding fathers of PCN and lawmakers who passed the Bill would soon come to reality.

In his reaction, National Commandant of Peace Corps, Amb. (Dr.) Dickson Akoh, said the award, like numerous others received this year, was dedicated to Nigerian youths and President Buhari.

Akoh, who is being tipped for deputy governorship by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue state, spoke to our reporter via telephone, that, he has never lost hope about the establishment of Nigerian Peace Corps, stressing that, the President was misled by those who sealed the PCN office.

"I'm happy that Nigerians, including the lawmakers appreciate the importance of Peace Corps of Nigeria. That alone supersedes what some few individuals think they can do to us. They thought they have won by sealing off our office, despite several court orders, or by misleading the presidency and telling lies against us, but God has vindicated us as the organisation turns out to be enjoying public endorsement. I'm sure very soon Mr. President will discover this and revisit the Bill", Akoh added.

Other recipients of the award include, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Jaiz Bank, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Senators and members of the House of Representatives.