Former governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo has urged Enugu politicians not to set the state ablaze ahead of the March 11, 2023 governorship election, saying politics should be not be regarded as a do-or-die affair.
Nwobodo made the appeal on Thursday while addressing journalists at his Amaechi country home, warning that the peace currently being enjoyed in Enugu state should not be
Reports said Ezea who defeated Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in the last Senatorial election, had while addressing his supporters in a video circulating online said that the Governorship election will be “a do or die game” for the people of Enugu North senatorial district known as Nsukka zone.
Ezea, who was the Labour Party candidate and emerged the winner during the last Saturday National Assembly Election, urged the youth of the zone to “prepare very well” for the polls.
Reacting to the comment by the senator-elect, Chief Nwobodo said “I invited you today to inform you of the looming danger which Okey Ezea’s inciting speech portends for the forthcoming governorship election of March 11 in Enugu State.
“I watched a video where Ezea, the Senator-elect for Enugu North Senatorial Zone, was saying that the governorship election would be a do-or die battle.
“I was shocked that somebody who has just been elected to represent his people at the National Assembly could make such an inciting statement while addressing a gathering of his people. He was inciting the good people of Nsukka against the people of Nkanu, literally drumming up war on the day of the next election.
“First, I want to plead with the peace-loving people of Nkanu not to react violently to the unprovoked statement made by Ideke. The people of Nsukka are our brothers and sisters and not our enemies. As a governor of Old Anambra State, I had a very good relationship with Nsukka, and they were my great supporters,” Nwobodo said.
He urged the people of the state including politicians to embrace peace, saying the peace being enjoyed in the state should not be destroyed.
He added that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, guber candidate, Peter Mbah is seeking to be governor of Enugu State made up of Enugu North, Enugu West, and Enugu East, and not the governor of Nkanu.
“I repeat, Peter is contesting to be Governor of Enugu state from Nkanu and not Governor of Nkanu. Peter Mbah should be supported because he is fit for the job and that is why we are supporting him.
“I strongly believe that the statement from Ideke does not represent the view of the good people of Nsukka that I know. It should be totally ignored,” he further advised the people of Enugu North.
Nwobodo equally condemned the reported murder of the Labour Party senatorial candidate for Enugu East zone, Barr. Oyibo Chukwu, describing it as unjustifiable.
“I have condemned it before and I condemn it again. Oyibo Chukwu was a fine gentleman; there was no justification for anybody to kill him because of politics; anybody who is a killer is not supposed to be in government,” the elder statesman said.
