Former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, and former Governor of old Abia State, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has said that contrary to reports making the rounds, he has not at any time endorsed the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi for the presidency come 2023.
Onu, who himself sought and lost the bid to become presidential flagbearer for the All Progressive Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 election, said his loyalties remain with the ruling party and as such, all reports of his involvement in any form of anti-party activity should be disregarded.
The former minister further asserted in a statement on Wednesday that claims suggesting he endorsed another party, are “mischievous, wicked and unfortunate.”
Onu advised that the public must ensure all claims are verified, adding that he is not to be mistaken for a certain Dr. SKC Ogbonnia, who recent reports suggest endorsed the Labour Party and its candidate.
Below is the full statement as personally signed by Mr Onu.
Early this morning, many national newspapers carried the story of the endorsement of the Labour Party Presidential Candidate by one Dr. SKC Ogbonnia, who was reported to have contested for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Primaries in 2019.
A few minutes ago, someone drew my attention to an article in circulation of that same story but captioned with my name, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, instead of the name of the person who had issued and signed the statement.
Dr. SKC Ogbonnia is a completely different person from Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu. My surname is Onu and not Ogbonnia. My other name is Ogbonnaya and not Ogbonnia. The initials SKC are not mine. I never contested for the Presidential Primaries of the APC in 2019.
In my long political carrier, I have never changed my political party. I have also never been involved in any anti-party activity. It is also important to remember that I served meritoriously as the National Chairman of defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), that for a long time, was the largest opposition political party in the country.
I therefore request that the general public should make the distinction between Dr. SKC Ogbonnia and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.
The attempt to copy the statement made by Dr. SKC Ogbonnia and put my name as the caption is mischievous, wicked and unfortunate.
We need a high level of civility in the conduct of politics in our dear nation.
