ENUGU 2023: AS NNIA NWODO (JNR) THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK DESCENDS INTO POLITICAL ARENA AGAIN

BY JIDEOFFOR AJAGWU

Saying that Chief John Nnia Nwodo (Jnr), one of the scions of the great Nwodo political dynasty of Ukehe, Igbo-Etiti LGA, two-time Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria and the immediate Past President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo is an elder statesman is like stating the obvious. He had his first stint in government and politics at the national level, riding on his father’s political reach and fame as a bachelor and fresh university graduate. After that, he was appointed Minister of Information by then Abdusalami Abubakar military regime.

In the face of all these positions and elevations, Nnia Nwodo has nothing tangible in terms of projects and human empowerment to show for it even in his town and local government, apart from lining his personal pockets and those of his family members and talking down on people that do not worship or agree with him. His several attempts to contest and win elective positions since then failed him because of his belligerent, emotional, temperamental, aggressive, sentimental, divisive and garrulous approach to politics and issues especially when it does not go his way.

In 2003, Nnia Nwodo was one of the presidential aspirants of the All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP) Immediately, he saw that he will not win the election, he created confusion at the Eagle Square venue after blowing grammar and walked away. That was his last attempt to contest elective position at the national level. He went into political oblivion and hibernation. When his elder brother and first civilian Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo became National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) in 2011, Nnia jumped into the arena again and created all sorts of problems and fights for Okwesilieze that later caused the latter’s unceremonious removal from office as PDP National Chairman.

Even before and after serving out his tenure as President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, which was made possible for him to occupy by the Enugu State Governor and his benefactor, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Nnia had always told anyone who cared to listen that he is no longer interested and cannot play partisan politics again. It is public knowledge that Nnia Nwodo and his family members are the greatest beneficiaries of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration; from contracts, political positions to financial supports. During his recent 70th birthday in Enugu, Nnia Nwodo was full of praises for Governor Ugwuanyi for his unflinching supports and benevolence towards him.

There were other occasions before now, where Nnia Nwodo has been openly thankful and appreciative of Governor Ugwuanyi’s government’s giant strides and outstanding leadership qualities. Nnia Nwodo hobnobs with Governor Ugwuanyi who has always respected and carried along him, having seen him as a brother.

NNIA NWODO BEFORE AND AFTER ENUGU PDP GOVERNORSHIP PRIMARIES

Just like a leopard that hardly changes its colour, before the 2022 Enugu PDP governorship primary, Nnia Nwodo using and hiding under his pliable, controlled and moribund Nsukka General Assembly (NGA) tried to ambush Governor Ugwuanyi and the PDP leaders in Enugu State by pushing for the choice of his elder sister, Chief Mrs. Grace Obayi’s son-in law and Commissioner for Environment, Bar. Chijioke Edeoga on them as the PDP governorship candidate, hoping on his usual Nsukka phantom interest. Nnia and his failed and cantankerous members of the toothless Nsukka General Assembly had hatched their eggs before they were laid by sharing top state government positions that included SSG, Chief of Staff and Deputy Governor among themselves and their relations and cronies.

Immediately their hatched plan failed them with the emergence of Bar. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah as the Enugu PDP governorship candidate during the primary, the frustrated and angry Nnia Nwodo and his cohorts who have over the years