I Did Not Endorse Labour Party, I Remain Loyal APC Member—– Ogbonnaya Onu

The immediate past Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has debunked a statement credited to him where he allegedly endorsed the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi for the general 2023 election.

Onu, the first civilian governor of Abia State, noted that he remains a loyal member of the APC, and will never engage in any form of anti-party activity.

The former minister further describe the claims as “mischievous, wicked and unfortunate.”

In a statement he signed and released on Wednesday, he stated that Dr. Onu is different from Dr. SKC Ogbonnia who reportedly endorsed the Labour Party and its candidate and advised the general public to always note the distinction between the two names.

He pleaded for a high level of civility in the conduct of politics in the country.

The statement reads:
“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”, he concluded.