Enugu indigenes abroad reject calls for Ugwuanyi to choose successor
Enugu State indigenes in the Diaspora, yesterday, rejected calls for Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to choose his successor in 2023, saying the idea of ‘anointing’ a successor has not helped the development of the state.
Chairman, Enugu State People in the Diaspora, Nze Arinze Onuora, who stated this in a chat with journalists, said they would mobilise the people against the imposition of a governorship candidate on the state in 2023.
He insisted that competency should determine the next governor of the state so that Enugu could move away from what he described as “primordial politics.”
The people chided former governors Jim Nwobodo and Chimaroke Nnamani for championing the call, even as they expressed disappointment that those, who should be fathers and exposed were the ones creating disharmony in the issue of anointing a successor.
Onuora said: “Enugu people in the Diaspora are interested in ensuring that the right person is elected as governor of the state in 2023 and beyond. Some of us resident abroad are not happy with the situation in the state. Countries abroad are very organised, but the situation is totally different at home.”
Citing various comments credited to Nwobodo and Nnamani, he insisted the thinking that it was Ugwuanyi’s prerogative to choose his successor was wrong and regrettable.
“There is nothing like rotation or zoning abroad, things are done based on competence and merit. That’s the benchmark of everything.
“We are focusing on getting someone who is competent to govern Enugu State and not zoning. Even if my brother wants to contest the governorship and I know he is not competent, I can’t support him,” he stated.
He argued that people get it wrong when they insist that it is the incumbent governor’s prerogative to anoint or choose his successor, stressing: “Only the people should decide who governs them.
“Nwobodo and Nnamani are elite. We see them abroad and they know the best practices in politics, but at home we see the opposite and that is worrisome. It is the collective responsibility of Enugu people to change the narrative.
“We need to help our people to understand the best practices and discourage a situation in which a sitting governor handpicks whoever he wants.”
Enugu people in the Diaspora, therefore, canvassed collaboration to ensure massive grassroots sensitisation of the people to resist the idea of anointed candidate in the 2023 gubernatorial election.
