Crisis in City Boy Movement

▪︎ Protests herald suspension of Abia official

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The suspended Organising Secretary of the City Boy Movement in Abia State, Dr. Charles Ukeagu, has called for restraint following protests that heralded his suspension from office.

Some youths and supporters of the Movement had protested at its headquarters in Umuahia, against the suspension of Dr. Ukaegbu by the state Director of the Movement by the state Director, Mayor Lucky Igbokwe.

During the protest, the State Campus Youth Leader, Emeka Kenneth Uche, popularly known as Prince of Igbo, said youths and student members of the City Boy Movement staged the peaceful protest to demand a reversal of Ukeagu’s suspension.

Uche described Ukeagu as one of the strong pillars responsible for building the movement across the Southeast, adding that Ukeagu had contributed significantly to the growth of the City Boy Movement deploying his administrative acumen and appealed to the leadership of the Movement to reconsider the suspension and resolve the matter amicably.

He called on Seyi Tinubu, whom he described as the capacity leader of the City Boy Movement in Nigeria, to intervene and help resolve the crisis.

Speaking on his suspension, Dr. Ukeagu said he committed no offence to warrant that, except his insistence in ensuring the right things be done to enable the group deliver on its mandate of re-electing President Bola Tinubu for a second term.

He specifically mentioned his kicking against the  appointment of a Deputy Director, alleging that the person appointed was from the same constituency as the Director.

He argued that the decision could create the impression that City Boy was being concentrated in one constituency, particularly as other principal officers, including himself and the patron, were equally from the same area.

Ukeagu disclosed that he had recently received a six-month suspension letter, describing the decision as counterproductive because of the role he claimed to have played in building the organisation’s administrative structure and mobilising members.

“Removing active members could ultimately reduce the number of people available to support the movement and the President’s re-election campaign”.

The Organising Secretary also questioned the suspension of members at a time when, according to him, City Boy should be focused on expanding its membership and mobilising support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Every new member into City Boy is an addition to us. So why are we now bent on wanting to remove people? It doesn’t make sense,” he said.

While calling for restraint, Ukeagu said despite the prolonged disagreement, he remained open to reconciliation and peace for the interest of the Movement and the President’s re-election.