More controversy continues to trail the recently held Abia Youth Leaders Town Hall Meeting, as angry youth organizations across the state demand the resignation of the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Sir Ananaba Nwaobilor, and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Development, Comrade Onyebuchi Chukwu.
Unending reactions have continued to emanate from different youth organizations in the state after the failed town hall meeting held on July 22 at JAAC building, Umuahia, where over 500 youth leaders in attendance were allegedly humiliated and embarrassed by what they described as the abysmal performance of the organisers.
According to Comrade Ericson Ihechieme Ejiogu, 1st Vice President of Assa Development Union Youth Wing from Ukwa West Local Government, “We are the apex social-cultural organization in the local government. Somebody of my virtue cannot keep quiet over what transpired at the youth leaders summit. The organizers did not do well. Starting from the accreditation, they failed woefully. Some people were sent messages after the registration while others were not communicated whether to attend or stay back in their various homes.”
“Now people came all the way from Ukwa West, Ukwa East and other local governments just to realize that they were not invited, whereas they are also youth leaders. This summit was aimed at uniting Abia youths, so why the sudden segregation? Some of these people spent over ₦15,000 on transport and other logistics,” he added.
He continued “Aside accreditation, refreshments and entertainment for the participants was not feasible. The Special Assistant on Youth Development, Comrade Onyebuchi Chukwu, claimed they budgeted food for 300 people, but I can beat my chest to say that the food they brought out was not up to 50. Youth leaders went home hungry. People were complaining and shouting. The organisers and the Commissioner of Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Sir Ananaba Nwaobilor, turned deaf ears.”
“Imagine that they even forgot to say an opening prayer. It was one of the youth leaders that reminded them. They were just trying to look for a way to cover their mess. Eighty percent of the participants did not even taste water or kola, talk less of eating food,” he lamented.
“For transportation, some people were given ₦1,000, others ₦2,000, while some did not receive any money at all because the organisers siphoned the fund. It is impossible to tell us that the Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, did not release funds for such a magnitude of event,” Ejiogu said.
“This is highly unacceptable. It shows that the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Sir Ananaba Nwaobilor, and SA on Youth Development, Comrade Onyebuchi Chukwu, do not have value for youths. They keep saying that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow while the narrative should be that youths are the leaders of today.”
“We must be fully involved in what is happening in our dear state. The Executive Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has been trying for youths, but the people representing the youth constituency are not doing well. If they can treat youth leaders with such levity, what then will happen to the average youth in the street? What played out at the event was a total flop, hence the Ukwa West youths and entire youth leaders of Abia State are calling on the Commissioner of Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Sir Ananaba Nwaobilor, and Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Development, Comrade Onyebuchi Chukwu, to resign for gross incompetency. They cannot manage the youths,” he concluded.
In further attestation, Chief Amb. Kingsley O. Udeh, the National Vice President of Isuikwuato Development Union Youth Wing (an umbrella governing Isuikwuato Youth home and abroad), stated, “I attended the Abia State Youth Town Hall Meeting, which I believed was part of the Abia Arise program, based on information from the local government youth coordinator.”
“However, upon arrival, I discovered that the event was limited to party members only, as confirmed by one of the Abia Arise state leaders. Despite bringing five executives and covering our own transport costs, we received no reimbursements, food, or refreshments. Furthermore, some of my executives were not allowed to register for accreditation, highlighting a lack of respect for Abia youth leaders.”
“This event, intended to unite us, was poorly organized by the SA to the Governor on Youth Development, Comrade Onyebuchi Chukwu, and his co-conspirators—effectively sidelining true local government and community youth leaders in favor of party affiliates—which I find deeply insulting as an executive leader,” he concluded.
