Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Sunday said that he would name his successor through the inspiration of God.

This is even as the Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Chuka Utazi, said he would not contest to be re-elected to the Senate in 2023 for the interest of peace in his District.

The duo spoke during a solidarity rally organised in honour of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State by the leadership and stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu North Senatorial District where the party leadership equally reaffirmed their total support for Governor Ugwuanyi and enjoined him to emulate his predecessors by picking his successor in 2023.

The Governor who thanked Senator Utazi for his sacrifice also appreciated the party fateful for their support, assuring that he would not take their loyalty for granted.

He enjoined the people of the District to use their superior voting strength to determine the results of elections in the state.

Meanwhile, Senator Utazi in his speech alleged that “political enemies are trying to turn his Senatorial District into a battleground,” in the forthcoming elections which were why he is sacrificing his seat for the interest of peace.

“Enemies outside want Enugu North Senatorial District to be a battleground in 2023. I don’t want here to be a battleground. We have an interest in the future of this Senatorial District and Enugu State at large.

“We don’t want to go into troubles and litigations that would never end here. As a leader of my people, I have made my own sacrifice. Leadership is about sacrifice,” Senator Utazi said.

Earlier in his opening address, the Zonal Chairman of PDP in the District, Mike Onyeze, while declaring the unalloyed allegiance of the party fateful, described the governor as the “hero of democracy,” siting his unprecedented infrastructure development and security in the state.

“You have continued to deliver dividends of democracy to the people of Enugu State despite the harsh economic situation in the country. We are behind you in every decision you take for the interest of PDP in Enugu State. We are gathered here to reaffirm our support for you.

“As the party prepares for primary elections, we shall give you our total support as usual. We are also in support of the existing zoning arrangement in the state. The leadership of PDP in Enugu North Senatorial District and all the stakeholders condemn in totality members of our great party outside this District who is trying to scatter the existing zoning arrangement in the state. Those behind this anti-party movement are not only insulting the governor but the entire people of Enugu North Senatorial District.

“The governor’s predecessors picked their successors and his case won’t be different,” Onyeze said.

Other major stakeholders including those representing the three constituencies in the District at the National Assembly, State House of Assembly members, local government chairmen and party hierarchies in the District reaffirmed their support for the Governor.