Former governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo has reaffirmed his stance on his support for Nkanu East local government area of Enugu State to produce the next governor, come 2023.
Nwobodo who addressed newsmen shortly after having a meeting from the traditional rulers from his Awkunanaw clan on Tuesday, said he had spat on the ground and would not turn round to lick his spittle, saying that his support for Nkanu East remains unshaken.
According to Nwobodo, since he declared that it was the turn of Nkanu East to produce the next governor because of years of neglect they have suffered in terms of democracy dividends recently, he has received bashing from some quarters but pointed out that he will stick to his gins.
He said that immediately Gov. Ugwuanyi secured his second term in office in 2019, a delegation of traditional rulers from his zone came to him and raised the issue of rotation of power to Enugu East Senatorial Zone but he advised them that it was too early to start talking about power shift at the time.
He pointed out that now is the time the issue of shift is germane and that it is proper and equitable that Nkanu East should produce the next governor.
The former governor said that like the issue of power rotation to the South East for the Presidency, Nkanu East too deserve to have a shot at the Lion Building come, 2023.
Therefore addressing journalists in his country home, Amechi Awkunanaw, Jim said: “My position on Nkanu East Local Government remains the same.
” Going forward, I have decided to put whatever statement I make on this issue in writing to avoid mischievous misinterpretation of my statements.
“As early as 2019, a delegation of traditional rulers, including these ones with me here, visited me. In the course of our discussion, the issue of producing a governor from Enugu East Senatorial Zone came up and as a politician among them, I offered two advice.
” I said the incumbent governor had just been sworn-in for his second term, and it was too early to start the discussion on where his successor might come from and that when the time comes, the people of Nkanu in general should lobby the Governor, Enugu stakeholders, and the general voting public of Enugu State to support an aspirant from Nkanu East, and I gave the same reasons of Equity and Fairness, ” Nwobodo said.
He reiterated that why he is bent on supporting Nkanu East is that they might be at par with other local governments in terms of development.
To maintain his stance, he said that should any other aspirant from other local governments other than Nkanu East, “I’ll tell him to try but I’ll tell him that my interest is on Nkanu East for equity and fairness.”
