The Organising Secretary of the City Boy Movement in Abia State, Dr. Charles Ukeagu, has explained the circumstances surrounding his suspension and the protest staged by some youths and supporters of the movement in Umuahia.

The development followed an escalating leadership dispute within the Abia State chapter of the movement, with Ukeagu defending the peaceful protest by some members and supporters, while the leadership maintained that his suspension was carried out in accordance with due process.

Speaking in Umuahia on Saturday evening, Ukeagu said his suspension came after he advised the State Director, Lucky Igbokwe, against deleting messages from the movement’s communication platforms, creating another platform within City Boy and moving some local government coordinators and executives to the new platform.

He also questioned the decision to suspend some members at a time when, according to him, the movement should be concentrating on expanding its membership and mobilising support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Every new member into City Boy is an addition to us. So why we are now bent on wanting to remove people? It doesn’t make sense,” he said.

Ukeagu described the protest as an exercise of the members’ right to demand what they considered justice within the organisation.

He argued that his six-month suspension was counterproductive, citing the role he said he played in developing the movement’s administrative structure and mobilising members.

The City Boy official clarified that he was not directly accusing anyone of working for the opposition, but said certain actions could give such an impression.

“Your actions might not be what you have in mind, but your actions are also running towards a direction which is not right,” he added.

Ukeagu said several attempts had been made to resolve the disagreement through dialogue.

According to him, meetings were convened by both the secretary and coordinator in an effort to bring the patron, organising secretary and other principal officers together to resolve the issues.

“We have one mandate, and that mandate is to re-elect Mr. President. The Deputy Director they appointed is from the same constituency as the Director, ignoring other constituencies,” he said.

Ukeagu further alleged that his suspension could be linked to his willingness to question decisions he considered inappropriate, particularly on issues relating to transparency and accountability.

Despite the disagreement, he said he remained open to reconciliation and urged members of the movement to avoid intimidation and place the interests of Abia State and the organisation above personal differences.

“I am 100 percent willing for reconciliation. Members of City Boy should give peace a chance; no individual should intimidate another and the interests of Abia State and the movement should take precedence over personal differences. Abia State belongs to all of us. Nobody can intimidate another. Let us give peace a chance,” he said