I’ve left APC but supporting Tinubu, Nwifuru — Reps aspirant

An Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency aspirant, Chief Tochukwu Ogalagu, says his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not affect his support for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Francis Nwifuru.

Ogalagu, popularly known as T-Man, confirmed his exit from the ruling party when he spoke with journalists on Easter Sunday.

Speaking at his country home in Amike, Ezzamgbo, he said the decision was not driven by ill-feeling but by the search for a platform that can deliver his House of Representatives ticket.

The lawyer, businessman, and philanthropist explained that resigning early was also a legal precaution to meet statutory timelines on defections and avoid sanctions for dual partisanship.  

He said: “I have discovered that delay is dangerous, and the Electoral Act is one of the factors.

“I have officially left the All Progressives Congress.

“I left not because APC has done any evil against me. 

“In my spirit and mind, we are still together, but in terms of my ambition, I think there’s a platform that will give me the ticket I seek. 

“But I’m still supporting Mr. President and His Excellency, the Governor of Ebonyi State. 

“In the journey of life, one joins the boat that can take him to his destination.”

Ogalagu did not name his next party but maintained that his support for Tinubu and Nwifuru is anchored on performance, which, according to him, “has transcended political party boundaries”.

He added that politics, for him, is a means to impact lives, not personal enrichment or a do-or-die affair, assuring that his supporters remain firmly behind him.

He added: “Since I left APC, my supporters have been steadfast. 

“They have been coming in from various communities, wards and villages, strengthening their solidarity and assuring that wherever I go, they stand with me.

“They understand my genuine love for the people, and these people are the electorates. 

“They know who holds the torch, who has the genuine intention to selflessly serve them, not to steal their mandate for personal enrichment.”

Ogalagu, who expressed confidence in voters’ power to drive change, criticised politicians who use youths for thuggery rather than empower them. 

He said his foundation has supported “countless youths” with jobs, education and skills, arguing that his track record, achieved without holding elective office, remains a “nightmare” to his opponents.

Constituents who spoke to reporters backed his bid and called for a change of representation in Ebonyi/Ohaukwu. 

Mary Ogayi and Silas Ogeh (Ohaukwu LGA), alongside Victor Nwebonyi and Stella Nwankwo (Ebonyi LGA) said the constituency had felt little impact over the past three years.

Ogeh said: “Our support for T-Man is not an isolated one. 

“It is a wave that has swept across the entire Ebonyi/Ohaukwu federal constituency.

“There is no part of this constituency that has not benefited immensely from his philanthropy and development efforts, and we are ready to not only stand with him anywhere he moves to, but ensure that our mandate for him is fully defended come the 2027 general election.”