By Samson Abugu
The Enugu Good Governance Group has commended the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, for refusing to raise the hand of his party’s gubernatorial candidate in Enugu, Chijioke Edeoga, or campaign for him during the party’s presidential rally in Enugu on Thursday.
The group said Obi had by that action demonstrated a deep understanding of the dynamics of Enugu politics and the sentiments of the people of Enugu State as far as the 2023 gubernatorial election is concerned.
In a statement released to newsmen on Saturday, the group’s Deputy National Coordinator, Anselem Ogboede, said: “While we commend the people of Enugu for coming out en masse to identify with an illustrious Igbo son, we equally commend Mr. Peter Obi for not campaigning for, endorsing or raising the hand of the Labour Party governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, at the rally.
“This is a clear demonstration of Obi’s political smartness, his understanding of the dynamics of Enugu politics and the lack of laudable track record and capacity on the part of Edeoga.
Obi has also displayed a good understanding of the misalignment of Edeoga’s gubernatorial ambition. Whereas the position of the people of Enugu State is that it is the turn of Nkanu or Enugu East zone to produce the next governor, Edeoga has not pretended about the fact that his governorship project is built on the weird argument that the old Nsukka zone deserves another eight years after the eight years of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
“Besides, while Edeoga’s tenure as commissioner for Environment is the worst in the history of the state, his community, Mgbuji, and Eha-Amufu in general, have severally stated that they have only crisis and an abandoned constituency project at Eha-Ohuala to show for his 25 years in office as chairman of Isi-Uzo LGA, Member of House of Representatives, presidential aide, and two-term commissioner”.
The group urged Obi to beware of Edeoga, saying the manner he ditched his former party and benefactors like Governor Ugwuanyi after losing the governorship ticket of the PDP showed he is an opportunist, who could not be trusted to work for Obi’s presidential ambition, should the Supreme Court annul the contentious Labour Party gubernatorial primary election, which is being challenged by Chief Evarest Nnaji.
