Uche Nnaji mere placeholder for Jim Nwobodo in '99, nothing more -Onoh

Former Southeast Spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of Enugu State House of Assembly, Denge Josef Onoh, has disputed claims by Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Chief Uche Nnaji, that he (Nnaji) willingly relinquished his Senate victory to Chief Jim Nwobodo in 1999.

Onoh described Nnaji's claim as a fabrication and a fairy tale to whip up sentiment, noting that Nnaji had no option than to surrender the election victory for Nwobodo who procured the Alliance For Democracy (AD) tickets, not only for Enugu East Senatorial district but also for Enugu North Senate and other national Assembly positions in the state.

Onoh challenged Nnaji, Senator Nwobodo, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who he said were the actors of the period to publicly contradict his account if it is incorrect.

Strengthening his argument, Onoh recalled that ahead of the 1999 elections, Senator Nwobodo sort for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket while internal divisions affected the party in Enugu State. 

He said that Nwobodo backed Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani for governor from Enugu East district, while a separate PDP faction supported Prince Victor Nduka Agu from Enugu West district.

According to Onoh, Nwobodo used Uche Nnaji as a placeholder candidate for the Enugu East Senatorial seat under the AD three days before the election, because his preferred choice, Deacon Okey Ogbodo, who had a stronger grassroots structure, was focused on Nnamani’s governorship campaign.

Onoh said that Nwobodo secured four AD nomination forms from Senator Bola Tinubu who was in charge of the AD and was running for governorship of Lagos state in the 1999 elections.

He said that three senatorial and one House of Representatives nomination forms were distributed to Hon. Anayo Ede ( for Nkanu East Nkanu West federal Constituency), late Senator Fidelis Okoro (for Enugu North Senatorial district), Mike Ugwu (Enugu West Senatorial district), and Uche Nnaji (for Enugu East Senatorial district), respectively. 

"I know about this because at that time, I was running for a councillorship position in New Haven, Enugu North Local Government Council."

He said Nnaji had no posters and did not run a substantive campaign, adding that voters knew they were voting for Nwobodo’s and not Nnaji who was not known but used as a mere lace holder.

"So, after the general elections, Nnaji stepped down for Nwobodo as was agreed and there was a by-election which every other candidate in other political parties, including the late Chief Agbo Anike of the All Peoples Party (APP) stepped down for Nwobodo and he was subsequently elected into the Senate in 1999," Onoh said.

He drew a parallel with 2007 elections, when he said Senator Chimaroke Nnamani used Bar. Ray Nnaji as a placeholder for the Enugu East Senatorial seat while pursuing the PDP presidential ticket. 

"When Nnamani did not secure the nomination, Ray Nnaji stepped aside for him to contest the Senate seat, and no noise was made about it. Yet, you will never hear Bar. Ray Nnaji bragging till date that he stepped down for Chimaroke Nnamani,” Onoh said.

Onoh stressed that Nnaji’s claim of stepping down for Nwobodo was not an act of personal sacrifice but a directive from a political leader.

On Governor Peter Mbah’s administration, Onoh said that Nnaji's criticism of its performance was populist, arguing that economic hardship was driven by federal macroeconomic policies, inflation, and fuel subsidy removal. He declared support for Mbah’s re-election in 2027, citing zoning and the governor’s infrastructure drive.

“I will swim and sink with him because I uphold the zoning arrangement. Peter Mbah remains the safest bet for Enugu State come 2027,” Onoh said.

He added that while zoning promotes equity, pledges of single-term tenures should be assessed for accountability, noting that four years may be insufficient for structural reforms.