Youths of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia South Senatorial District on Thursday protested against the nomination of Mr. Nwogu Nwogu as a Commissioner into the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The youths, numbering more than 200, condemned the reappointment of Nwogu into the NDDC board, asking that there was an urgent need to withdraw his nomination.
The youths bore placards with inscriptions such as “Replace Nwogu Nwogu with real APC man”; “We demand that APC leaders in Ukwa be carried along”; “Nwogu Nwogu Bad luck for APC”; “Nwogu Nwogu is fake and unreliable” and “change Nwogu’s name for APC to grow in Abia”.
They declared that allowing Nwogu to represent the state in NDDC would be tantamount to condoning indiscipline and anti-party activities.
Leader of Abia South APC youths, Prince Abana Chigozie Abana, said they found it necessary to draw the attention of the Presidency to the anomaly, describing the reappointment of Nwogu as tacit endorsement of treachery and betrayal of trust.
Abana wondered how the presidency could pick someone that will represent the oil- producing area in NDDC without consulting stakeholders of the party, including the Abia South Presidential Campaign Coordinator during the last elections, Sir Marc Wabara and others.
They said Ukwa being the only oil producing area in Abia state deserved appropriate recognition in order to appreciate those who worked for the party in the area.
He stated that the havoc caused the APC by the unwholesome conduct of Nwogu and Chief Ikechi Emenike during the last general elections resulted in the poor performance of the party from the Presidential to the House of Assembly elections in Abia State.
Abana, who cautioned on the dire consequences of retaining Nwogu’s name, wondered how a man whose benefactor ensured that there was no peace in Abia APC could be allowed to influence the appointment of Nwogu.
He stated that Nwogu did not work for the APC resulting in the party losing in his ward in the 2019 general elections.
Also speaking, one of the APC youth leaders in Ukwa West local government area, the home of the nominee, Gideon Godspower, pointed out that the fate of the APC in his area has been hanging in the balance since Nwogu was nominated.
He stated that immediately Nwogu’s name was announced as member in the last Board, he created a faction in Ukwa West APC and the situation has remained till today.
He described Nwogu’s reappointment as the quickest way to kill the party in his area, noting that the spirit of genuine party people that worked for the APC in Ukwa has been dampened following Nwogu’s nomination.