Constituents rally behind Ogalagu after APC exit, say Ebonyi/Ohaukwu needs new voice

•Ogalagu (with mic), flanked by some supporters. 

A groundswell of support is building for Chief Tochukwu Ogalagu in Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency of Ebonyi state after the aspirant confirmed that he has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC)

Ogalagu, popularly known as “T-Man” confirmed his exit to journalists on Easter Sunday at his home, Amike Izhia, but insisted his backing for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Francis Nwifuru remains unchanged.

Constituents who spoke to reporters framed the development as a constituency-driven push for change rather than a personal defection drama. Mary Ogayi and Silas Ogeh (Ohaukwu LGA), alongside Victor Nwebonyi and Stella Nwankwo (Ebonyi LGA), said the area has felt “little representative impact” over the past three years and described Ogalagu’s bid as the “collective will” of the constituency.

“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 elections,” Ogeh said.

Ogalagu, a lawyer, businessman and philanthropist, said his exit was not borne out of animosity but out of the need for a platform that can deliver the House of Representatives ticket. He cited the Electoral Act’s timelines on defections and the risk of sanctions for dual partisanship as reasons for resigning early: “I have discovered that delay is dangerous, and the Electoral Act is one of the factors.”

He did not name his next party, but stressed that his support for Tinubu and Nwifuru is based on performance “which has transcended political party boundaries.”

“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.

“I’m still supporting Mr. President and His Excellency, the Governor of Ebonyi State, but in the journey of life, one joins the boat that can take him to his destination,” he said.

Framing politics as a tool for impact rather than personal enrichment, Ogalagu said his foundation has supported “countless youths” with jobs, education and skills, and criticised the use of young people for thuggery.

He noted that since leaving the APC, supporters “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 electorate, and they know who holds the torch; who has the genuine intention to selflessly serve them, not to steal their mandate for personal enrichment,” Ogalagu emphasized.