I Raised My Hand, but They Told Me to Put it Down Because the President Had Spoken- Ngige

At a Night of Tribute event held in honor of the late Audu Ogbeh, former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, recounted a pivotal moment that showed the late statesman’s resolute character and adherence to party rules.

The event, held at the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, served as a platform for prominent figures to celebrate the life of Ogbeh, who passed away on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at the age of 78.

A video clip of Ngige’s speech, posted by SYMFONI on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, has since been widely circulated.

Ngige recalled a heated National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where a debate over the presidential ticket was taking place.

When he attempted to voice his opinion, Ngige said he was told to put down his hand.

Refusing to be silenced, Ngige insisted, “no, we are all equal here.”

It was at this point that Ogbeh, then the party’s National Chairman, intervened, affirming Ngige’s stance.

Ngige, emboldened by Ogbeh’s support, proceeded to read from the party’s constitution, stating unequivocally that the NEC did not have the authority to issue a presidential ticket; that power belonged to the national convention.

He also clarified that automatic tickets for governors were a matter for the state congresses, not the NEC.

Ogbeh, after reviewing the document Ngige provided, declared the matter “closed.”

This decisive action, Ngige pointed out, was a direct contradiction to the president’s wish to close the meeting on his own terms.

Here’s a corrected version of your passage for clarity and grammar:

“I raised my hand, but they told me to put it down because the governor had spoken and the president had spoken. I said, no, we are all equal here. Audu agreed and said, yes, you are correct. I then read out the constitution and explained that we don’t have the power to give the presidential ticket here (at the National Executive Council meeting); it is the national convention’s responsibility,” Ngige said.

“I told the governor we don’t have the power to give you an automatic ticket here; that is the role of the state congress. Audu asked if he could have the document. I gave it to him, and he said, ‘This matter is closed.’ The president said, ‘You can close this meeting,’ and he closed it. That is how a chairman should behave,” he added.

Would you like me to help make it even clearer or more formal?

Ngige praised Ogbeh for his courage and firm grasp of due process, a quality he believes many underestimated.

“People underrate Audu Ogbeh, he is more stubborn than Ngige,” he said, contrasting Ogbeh’s quiet strength with his own more outwardly assertive demeanor.

While people might perceive Ngige as a “warrior” because of his appearance, he explained that Ogbeh, despite his slim build, made his points with “clarity.”

This tribute from Ngige painted a picture of Audu Ogbeh as a man of profound integrity and intellectual stubbornness, who was not intimidated by power and was committed to upholding the principles of democracy within his party.Continue, Full, Reading>>>>

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