By Chinazaekpere Chinwendu
The Ohuhu Welfare Union Youth Wing has defended the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Obi Aguocha, against allegations that he sold trailer loads of rice provided by the Federal Government for distribution to his constituents.
The organisation, through its President, Chief Iheanacho Uchenna Gavin, said its position was informed by its direct involvement in receiving and distributing food items provided through Aguocha’s support for community-based humanitarian initiatives. It maintained that its firsthand experience warranted a balanced assessment of the allegations, urging members of the public to refrain from treating unsubstantiated claims as established facts.
In an official statement issued by the Office of the President of the Ohuhu Welfare Union Youth Wing, the organisation recalled that in February 2026, following its Lovers’ Day Outreach, Aguocha supported its humanitarian intervention with 20 bags of rice, 20 bags of beans, 20 bags of garri, vegetable oil, spaghetti and other food items, alongside a cash donation of ₦1 million.
According to the statement, the intervention enabled the youth organisation to extend assistance to vulnerable members of the community, with beneficiaries drawn from both Umuahia North and Umuahia South Local Government Areas. The group described the gesture as a practical demonstration of support for grassroots humanitarian activities and the welfare of disadvantaged residents.
The youth wing further disclosed that in December 2025, Aguocha provided an initial consignment of 20 bags of rice and 20 bags of beans, followed by another 20 bags each of the two food commodities. The organisation said the supplies amounted to 40 bags of rice and 40 bags of beans made available to youth leaders and stakeholders across Ohuhu.
It added that it had retained video recordings and photographs documenting the distribution exercises and was prepared to make the materials, alongside the list of beneficiaries, available for verification. The organisation said these records could help establish the nature of the support it received and provide context to the ongoing controversy.
While acknowledging the importance of transparency and accountability in the management of public resources, the Ohuhu youth leadership cautioned against the circulation of allegations without credible supporting evidence. It stressed that citizens had every right to demand explanations concerning public resources but insisted that such demands should be pursued through verifiable facts and appropriate channels.
The organisation also urged members of the public to exercise restraint in their commentary on the matter, noting that serious allegations against public officeholders should be subjected to fair scrutiny rather than speculation. It called for a transparent process that would allow the relevant facts to emerge, while reiterating its commitment to speaking about its firsthand experiences with Aguocha’s community support initiatives.
The statement concluded with an appeal for fairness and responsible public discourse, maintaining that allegations of wrongdoing should not be regarded as proven without substantiation. However, the youth wing’s account of receiving and distributing food items through Aguocha’s support does not, on its own, establish the source or disposition of the specific Federal Government rice shipments referenced in the allegations.
The group reaffirmed its readiness to provide evidence of the distributions it participated in and called on the public to allow facts to guide the discussion.
The statement was signed by Chief Iheanacho Uchenna Gavin, President of the Ohuhu Welfare Union Youth Wing.