By Chijindu Emeruwa
Youths for Progressive Governance (YFPG), which supports democracy and good leadership, has spoken strongly against what they describe as a plan to damage the reputation of Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, a former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development in Nigeria. The group said some politicians are trying to falsely accuse Dr. Ogah in order to turn President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership against him.
The group said these people are trying to blame Dr. Ogah for the APC’s poor results in the 2023 general elections in Abia State. According to them, a man named Nnamdi Oleh recently made accusations that Dr. Ogah worked against President Tinubu and other top APC candidates like Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Nkeiruka Onyejiocha during the elections. Oleh also claimed that Dr. Ogah hired bloggers to attack Senator Kalu on social media.
However, YFPG, in a public statement signed by its National Coordinator Comrade Samuel Aguiyi and Publicity Secretary Chiamaka Nzomuche, said that Dr. Ogah was not responsible for the APC’s failure in the elections. They said the main reasons for the party’s failure in Abia State were the lack of popularity of the APC’s governorship candidate Chief Ikechi Emenike and the dishonesty of some APC leaders who were secretly receiving money from the former PDP government in the state.
The group said that these same dishonest leaders have been a big reason why APC has not been winning elections in Abia. According to YFPG, these people pretend to support the party but actually work against it during elections.
YFPG also said that Dr. Ogah has been a strong and loyal supporter of APC and has helped make the party more popular in Abia State and across the Southeast region. They reminded the public that when Dr. Ogah ran for Governor in 2019, he helped many APC candidates win seats in the Abia State House of Assembly. That was the first time the party had such success in the state.
They explained that in the 2019 elections, Dr. Ogah brought many people together and helped APC win in his local area, Uturu in Isuikwuato Local Government Area. He did this while other so-called party leaders failed to win support for the APC in their own areas. The group accused those leaders of secretly working with the opposition to weaken the party.
According to YFPG, in the 2023 elections, Dr. Ogah used his personal money and time to support APC campaigns in Abia State. He encouraged many people to vote for President Tinubu and other APC candidates. They said he also helped Senator Orji Uzor Kalu win his re-election in Abia North.
They added that Nkeiruka Onyejiocha lost her election not because of Dr. Ogah but because people were tired of her leadership style. The group said it was unfair and untrue to claim that Dr. Ogah worked against her.
YFPG believes that these accusations are being made by people who are only interested in their own political goals. They said these lies are meant to cause problems between Dr. Ogah, the President, and other APC leaders in the state. But they believe these efforts will fail.
The group also praised Dr. Ogah for his work when he was a minister. They said he helped train many young people from Abia in mining skills through programs run by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. The reforms he made in the mining sector helped the government earn more money, which was used to build roads and other important projects across Nigeria.
YFPG also said that Dr. Ogah helped to get federal approval for the building of the Okigwe-ABSU-Uturu-Akara road, created job opportunities for people from Abia, and helped many get involved in social programs that helped them start small businesses or learn new skills.
Before joining politics, Dr. Ogah was a successful businessman who built many factories in Abia State. These factories made food products, plastic items like chairs and tables, and provided jobs for thousands of young people.
In closing, the group advised Nnamdi Oleh to stop spreading lies and instead focus on doing something useful with his time. They said no amount of lies can stop the good work Dr. Ogah has done to help his community and support the APC
