[1] Nwagu was elected as a member of the House of Representatives for the Ishielu constituency of Ebonyi's Ezzra North in April 2007, on the PDP platform.
In the House, he was appointed to committees on Youth and Social Development, Public Procurement, Police Affairs, Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Environment and Emergency & Disaster Management.
In 2009, Igwe was arrested and detained at Kuje Prisons in Abuja by the Nigerian anti-crime agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over his alleged involvement in a N5.2 billion ($34.66 million) electric power scam.
[3][4] In the January 2011 PDP primaries for the Ebonyi Central Senatorial seat, Nwagu was declared the nominated candidate of the PDP following the boycott of exercise by other contestants for alleged irregularities, including the use of ballot papers meant for Kwara State to conduct the Ebonyi Central election.
Ugo Chima of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) received 41,096 votes.