Enugu Youths Sack Leader over Alleged Blackmail of Mbah, Tenders Apology to Governor

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo and Gideon Arinze in Enugu


Youths of Enugu East Senatorial Zone under the umbrella of Nkanu Youth Organisation(NYO), have shown the exit door to the President of the youth body, David Nwachukwu over “serious misconduct”, including “blackmailing” Governor Peter Mbah.

The National Executive Council of NYO which announced the removal of its leader at a press conference in Enugu, said that his conducts “did not represent the ideals, aims and objectives of NYO stands for.”

The Exco dissociated itself from the actions of Nwachukwu and tendered unreserved apologies to the Governor and “other illustrious sons and daughters of Nkanu land, who were victims of sponsored attacks” from the suspended NYO president.

The National Secretary of NYO, Chukwuemerie Padrepio Ugwu, who read a statement endorsed by seven members of the executives, said that the Vice-president of the youth body, Pharm Gideon Nwafor has been appointed the Acting President with immediate effect.

Aside from alleging that its leader was engaged in high profile blackmail, the Nkanu youths also accused him of impeding development of Enugu East zone as well as engaging in financial fraud to the tune of N10 million.

But Nwachukwu has denied the allegations. Speaking on phone with THISDAY, the embattled youth leader said that “the allegations are false and lack any substance,” insisting that “I didn’t do any of those things.”

According to him, “It’s laughable to say that I’m blackmailing somebody like our state governor who I’ve been supporting right from the onset.”

He faulted his removal, arguing  that it was wrong for six out of the 16-member Exco to remove him without holding a management meeting as stipulated by NYO constitution.

The suspended NYO President stated that what was considered as blackmail was an innocuous statement he made in September at a news conference. He said that he had commended Governor Mbah for his achievements and advised him to consider the issue of high taxes and insecurity, adding that the governor has already taken care of those issues.

The Nkanu Youth Organisation is composed of youths from Nkanu East, Nkanu West, Isi-Uzo, Enugu East, Enugu South, and Enugu North Local Governments, that make up Enugu East zone, where the Governor Peter Mbah comes from.

The group said that the decision to remove its president was taken after investigations into allegations of financial malfeasance levelled against Nwachukwu(a.k.a Dika Dave).

It said that the “internal protocol” of the organisation was activated following the numerous allegations made against the suspended president, including “fraudulent collection of N10 million using the name of a non-existent faction”.

NYO also stated that Nwachukwu engaged  in persistent abuse of office, sponsored attacks on illustrious leaders of Nkanu land, to the tune of N2 million, and diversion of money meant for the registration of the body with the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC).

“Upon the conclusion of this process, the Council established that the allegations were credible, weighty, and fundamentally incompatible with the standards of leadership expected in NYO,” the youth body said.

“The findings revealed acts of financial misappropriation, abuse of office, diversion of organisational funds, unauthorised collection of monies in the name of NYO, actions undertaken to undermine government institutions, and repeated unilateral decision-making without recourse to the appropriate organs of the organisation.”

According to the youth organisation, it became imperative that Nwachukwu had to be suspended with immediate effect “in view of the gravity of these findings and the need to safeguard the integrity, unity, and future of the Nkanu Youth Organisation”.

Apart from the indefinite suspension, NYO also stripped Nwachukwu of all organisational privileges and authorities previously vested in him, adding that he “no longer represents the Nkanu Youth Organisation in any capacity whatsoever going forward”.

“He is not authorised to speak for, act on behalf of, or engage with any individual or institution in the name of Nkanu youths,” the statement said.

“Any correspondence, appearance, negotiation, or public statement made by him henceforth should be regarded as null, unauthorized, and lacking the mandate of the youths of Nkanu land,” it added.

The Executive Council mandated the acting President “to stabilise the organisation, coordinate reconciliation efforts, restore financial discipline, and oversee the affairs of the union pending the election of a substantive President within the appropriate timeframe”.

It stated that the matter concerning the suspended President “has been referred to relevant authorities for additional investigation and possible recovery of misappropriated funds.”