Sen. Jim Nwobodo Visits, Sir, Chinyeaka Ohaa, Enugu Guber Hopeful

Former governor of old Anambra state, His Excellency, Senator Jim Nwobodo visited Odalije, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa in his GRA, Enugu, home for an evening outing on Saturday, 22/01/22. Senator Jim Nwobodo came in the company of his adorable wife, Chief (Mrs) Pat Jim Nwobodo, their children and a retinue of political associates that included Dr.  Emeka Nwatu, former Chairman of State Local Government Service Commission, and other aids. 

On hand to recieve Senator Jim Nwobodo were Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa with some of his political associates, former  Commissioners, Local Government chairmen, PDP stalwarts, such as former Member, House of Representatives and Isiuzo borne Ambassador Kingsley Ebenyi, former Enugu State Governorship aspirant, presenly US based, Dr. John Nwokeabia from Oji River, former Enugu state Commissioner for Labour/ Chieftaincy Matters, Barr. Emeka Okeke, former Nkanu West Council Chairman, Henrich Okenwa, former Enugu Sports Club Chairman and member, PDP State Working Committee,  Chief Onyeka Onwe, and others. 

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Nwobodo said he came to thank God for the life of Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, and ask for more blessings on the household. He prayed that God assists Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa to realize his governorship ambition in 2023 elections. Jim, as he is popularly called, speaking, like the political father of Ndi Enugu that he is, said that it is God that gives power, and that nobody can do the contrary if it is the wish of God that Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa becomes the governor of Enugu state in 2023. 

After the prayer, there was a banquet that went into several hours, in the course of which Jim, the sage, went down the memory lane of his time as governor of old Anambra State, and how he was able to achieve so much in so short a time span of 4years in massive infrastructural development, establishment of industries and several tertiary institutions across the vast geo-political space of the present Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states that constituted the old Anambra state. His reminiscences led to some lively political discourse wherein he talked extensively on the challenges of governance and the need to raise the bar of infrastructural and manpower development across the south east states, the Igbo heartland, of Nigeria. 

Responding, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa emphasised that Senator Jim Nwobodo, for many years, has been his mentor from whom he had drawn some inspiration and ideas he deployed to full measure at different stages of his deployment in different ministries in his long sojourn in state and federal service, especially at the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, where, as Permanent Secretary, he held sway as the overall boss superintending the affairs of the humongous workforce of 34,420 civil servants in the absence of FCT Minister in 2019. He thanked Senator Jim Nwobodo and his wife for honouring him with their presence in his home.

It is important to recall that, in recent days, the media, social and mainstream, have been awash with the news alleging that Senator Jim Nwobodo has thrown his weight towards micro-zoning the 2023 PDP gubernatorial ticket to Nkanu East LGA. This micro-zoning idea seems unpopular amongst major political stakeholders in Enugu State, culminating in some people criticising the alleged Jim's position. 

However, the leadership of Odalije Support Group (OSG), the statewide political structure behind the gubernatorial ambition of Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, has insisted that the politically sagacious Senator Jim Nwobodo, one of the few surviving founding fathers of Enugu state, is not one to make such a hasty and pedestrian endorsement, knowing that such a move has the inherent possibility of leading to serious political backlash especially because Ndi Enugu want the most competent and experienced candidate from Enugu East Senatorial zone in the  2023 governoship election. The group thanks Senator Nwobodo for finding   out time to pay a visit to, and offer prayers for the realisation of the governorship ambition of, their leader, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, at this auspicious time when they are about to roll out drums for Enugu 2023 gubernatorial election.