The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has expressed sadness and a deep sense of loss over the demise of Chinwoke Mbadinuju, a former governor of Anambra state. 

Mr Mbadinuju died on Saturday at the National Hospital, Abuja after a brief illness. His first son, Chetachi Mbadinuju, announced his demise in a statement on Tuesday.

The acting president-general of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Damian Okeke, while reacting in a statement on Tuesday, described Mr Mbadinuju’s passing as “sad”.

“Well, death is a due everybody must pay and we don’t know when (we will pay it). It is sad that Mbadinuju is dead,” Mr Okeke said, adding, “but I must say that he was a good man and he did a lot for the socio-economic development of Anambra State.”

“We pray God to give him eternal rest and we console his family members to bear the loss with fortitude,” he added. 

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State also commiserated with the family of the former Anambra governor. 

In a statement on Tuesday night by his spokesperson, Christian Aburime, Mr Soludo said the deceased would be “fondly remembered for passing a law that created the Anambra Vigilante Services, establishing Anambra State University, Uli, among other legacy projects.” 

The Governor further sympathised with the Uli community from which the late ex-governor hails. He charged his immediate family to sustain his legacies as he prayed to God to grant him eternal rest.

Mr Mbadinuju served as the governor of Anambra State between 29 May, 1999 and May 29, 2003 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

After his tenure, he sought re-election under PDP but was denied the party’s ticket in favour of Dr. Chris Ngige, who clinched the ticket ahead of the 19 April 2003 governorship election in the state. 

Mr Mbadinuju defected to the now-defunct Alliance for Democracy where he obtained the party’s ticket but lost in the general elections. 

Before then, Mr Mbadinuju served as a personal assistant to the former governor of old Enugu State, Jim Nwobodo, between 1979 and 1980. He also played the same role for former Nigeria’s Head of State, Shehu Shagari, between 1980 and 1983.