Peter Obi Reacts To Demise Of Ex-Anambra Gov, Mbadinuju

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has expressed sadness over the death of the former Anambra State Governor, Chinwoke Mbadinuju.

Naija News reported that the former governor “passed on peacefully” on Tuesday morning at the National Hospital in Abuja after a brief illness at the age of 78.

In a series of tweets via his verified Twitter account on Tuesday, the LP flagbearer said the death of the former governor is certainly a painful loss to his immediate family and the state.

Obi stated that Mbadinuju, who was fondly called “Odera”, was a consummate administrator, academic, lawyer, and politician who served Anambra selflessly and diligently.

He prayed to God Almighty to grant him eternal rest in His Kingdom; and also grant the immediate family, Anambra state government, and citizens of the state the fortitude to bear his irreplaceable loss.

He wrote: “I received the sad news of the transition to glory of Late HE Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju (The former Governor of Anambra State), this evening. His passing is certainly a painful loss to his immediate family and Anambra State.

“Mbadinuju, who was fondly called “Odera”, was a consummate administrator, academic, lawyer, and politician who served Anambra selflessly and diligently.

“May God Almighty, who called him home grant him eternal rest in His Kingdom; and also grant the immediate family, Anambra state government, and all of us the fortitude to bear his irreplaceable loss.”

Recall that the late Mbadinuju served as the governor of Anambra State between 29 May 1999 and 29 May 2003 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He sought re-election as governor under the PDP platform but was denied the party’s ticket under controversial circumstances amidst an internal crisis within the party at the time.

Chris Ngige would later clinch the governorship ticket of the party ahead of the 19 April 2003 governorship election in the state.

After losing the PDP’s ticket, Mbadinuju defected to the now-defunct Alliance for Democracy, where he later emerged as the party’s governorship candidate, but lost in the general election.

Ngige of the PDP, who now serves as Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, was declared winner of the election, although he was later sacked by the Court of Appeal in Enugu, three years after.

Mbadinuju had served as a personal assistant to a former governor of old Enugu State, Jim Nwobodo, between 1979 and 1980, before playing the same role for former Nigeria’s Head of State, Shehu Shagari, between 1980 and 1983.