From Magnus Eze, Enugu

Elder statesman, Chief Jim Nwobodo, has said he cannot stop anybody aspiring for the governorship position of Enugu State in 2023 from contesting.

The former governor of old Anambra State said his position is without prejudice to his inclination to an indigene of Nkanu East Local Government Area to become the next governor of Enugu State. 

Nkanu East is one of the six LGAs that make up Enugu East Senatorial District, a zone canvassing to produce Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s successor in line with the zoning arrangement in the state. 

Nwobodo, who spoke after hosting some traditional rulers from his Awkunanaw clan in his Amechi country home, said he would not succumb to emotions. He said he would receive any governorship aspirant that comes to him for blessing. 

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“If anybody from even my village comes for my blessing, I will ask him to go and try; that’s the beauty of democracy. I won’t stop any person from running for election. In every election, be it presidential or governorship, there are front runners and there are jokers. These jokers go into it because they want to be called former governorship or presidential aspirants.”

Nwobodo condemned the marginalisation of the people of Nkanu East, insisting that justice would have been done if an indigene of the place was elected next governor of the state.

He recalled that in 2019, a similar delegation of traditional rulers had visited him on the matter and he advised them that it was too early since Governor Ugwuanyi had just been sworn-in for a second term.

Nwobodo said that his second advice to the monarchs was that “when time comes, the people of Nkanu in general should lobby the Governor, Enugu stakeholders, and the voting public in Enugu State to support an aspirant from Nkanu East. And I gave the same reason of equity and fairness. This is democracy and I am today reaffirming my stand on this issue.”