2023: Enugu traditional rulers hand over symbolic ‘ofo’ to Peter Mba, PDP guber candidate

Traditional rulers in Enugu East Senatorial district have given traditional staff of office (Ofo) to the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu state, and urged their subjects to vote for him the February 2023 Governorship Election in the state.

The Monarchs said that Ofo is not given to two persons at the same time, hence their hand over of the staff indicates that they will not endorse any other Governorship candidate in the state for the purposes of next year’s election.

Handing over the staff of office to Mba, on Thursday, the Chairman of Traditional Rulers Councils in Enugu East Senatorial district and the Traditional Ruler of Nike, HRH, Igwe Julius Nnaji said that the exercise was in line with the promise they made to support any of the aspirants that emerged as the choice of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi from the Senatorial district.

Nnaji recalled that before the governorship primary of the PDP in May this year, there were 17 aspirants from Enugu East Senatorial district that contested for the ticket of the party and who all signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to support any of the 17 Aspirants that emerges.

Nnaji said: “We had called them here and spoke to them on the need to allow peace to reign and not to allow their ambition create crisis in the zone since all of them are coming from the same area.

They agreed and later came back to us with a memorandum to support of any them that the governor eventually chooses. We were very happy and took that letter to the governor. It was that development that helped to sharp the choice of the party.”

Nnaji noted that the symbol of authority was also to guide the candidate, stressing that it was only given to one person whom the Monarchs believe possessed the qualities to move the state forward.

Resiprocating the gesture, Mbah said that that he would be fair to all segments of the state in his administration should he be voted to power next year.

Mbah said that the staff signified confidence, trust and honour and assured that’s he would do all in his power not to disappoint the people of the state if voted to office.

He urged the Monarchs to continue to pray for sustained peace in the state and for a smooth transition next year.