Enugu state Political leader and former Governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, has named one of the Governorship aspirants in the state, Mr Peter Mbah, as his preferred aspirant to succeed Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in May 2023.
Nwobodo therefore pleaded with Governor Ugwuanyi and the delegates to vote for Peter Mbah in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial primary election, on Wednesday.
Ugwuanyi’s humility, penchant for peace will take him to higher places – Jim Nwobodo
In a press conference in his Enugu country home, on Tuesday, Nwobodo also said that one of the aspirants in the race Senator Ike Ekweremadu has agreed to step down for Mba.
Disclosing his preference for Mbah, Nwobodo said that Mbah will retain the peace atmosphere that Governor Ugwuanyi has instituted in the state and will work for all parts of the state.
He said he held a meeting with a number of the aspirants from Enugu East senatorial district for a conversation on how to redevelop Enugu State, from where he said he got the assurance that Mba would do that.
Nwobodo said: “As far back as October 2019, I invited Peter Mba to my house. When he came, I told him to consider running for a position, especially Governor. He didn’t give me an answer immediately, but later he came and said he would consider running.
“Tomorrow (Wednesday), people will ask why am I keeping quiet, this is why I’m addressing the media today. I believe anybody who wins the primary tomorrow will be the Governor, because the PDP is the only party in Enugu State.
“I have also been speaking with the Governor of the State, a fine, peaceful gentleman and I told him that anybody that will succeed him must bring peace.
“We need a Governor who will not go into any war, rascality, or vandalism but peace. Anybody who wants to be the Governor must follow the same path.
“I have heard all kinds of rumours about people claiming they are sponsoring Peter Mba, but he knows that I brought him into this race.”
On Ekweremadu’s ambition, Nwobodo said the former Deputy Senate President “has come to see me many times and I told him about the need for peace, I have asked him to withdraw all cases in court so that we talk peace.
“We need peace in Enugu and that’s the legacy Ugwuanyi is leaving behind.
“I have asked Ekweremadu to collapse his team, let them join the rest in making Enugu to work.
“I want to thank the Governor of the State for the way he has piloted the affairs of the State,” he concluded.
