Drama as Soludo, Ngige walk out on Obi during debate
By Emmanuel Obe, Awka, Published: Tuesday, 22 Dec 2009




Two governorship aspirants in Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the Peoples Democratic Party and Dr. Chris Ngige of the Action Congress, on Monday walked out on the state Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, during a debate organised for them.

The debate, which held in the state capital, Awka, ahead of the February 6, 2010 governorship election in the state, was meant for candidates to present their manifestoes to the people of the state.

The debate was organised by the Anambra State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association and held at the Emmaus House, Awka.

The four candidates present were the governor, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance; Ngige; Soludo; and the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Dr. Mike Ejezie.

The debate was nearly marred by a low turnout of candidates and the ego displayed by the contenders present. Only four out of the 25 candidates honoured the invitation.

Obi was the first to arrive the venue of the debate but left after he found out that other candidates were yet to come. He came a second time and left again because it was only Ngige and Soludo that had sat on the podium.

When Obi did not return early, the organisers threw the debate open to Soludo, Ngige and Ejezie. The three then spoke for five minutes each.

It was while Soludo was rounding off his address that Obi came in with a crowd of supporters, who held up proceedings for more than 10 minutes, praising him.

After Soludo rounded off his speech, Ngige took over, and then moved out of the hall just as Obi was going to be called upon to speak.

Ngige, whose exit created a commotion, was apparently not ready to listen to Obi because he felt that the governor did not grant him the same courtesy.

Shortly after, Soludo got up, shook hands with some members of the audience and left the stage, with his supporters in tow.

The hall was almost left empty before Obi’s supporters surged forward to fill the seats on the front row.

To make matters worse, public power supply was cut off just as Obi took the microphone.

Obi, however, explained that he had come in late because protocol demanded that he should be the last person to speak, being the governor.

The speakers were very jovial and lively as they made light-hearted references to one another. One of such was when Soludo said he would adopt informal policing to fight insecurity in the state.

He said though he would not disclose the details of the plan, Ngige would know a little of it because he (Ngige) and Soludo’s father were at different times victims of kidnappers.

In his presentation, Soludo said that if elected as governor, he would raise the economy of the state to become the largest in the country.

He said that he would have to do this through an ambitious power supply programme.

He said the surest way to fight insecurity was to provide jobs. He said he would provide between 300,000 and 500,000 jobs within his first term in office.

He said the Igbo had no business being in a party that was not in the mainstream of politics and advised them to join a national party.

He appealed to Ngige to return to the PDP because “hooligans and rogues that dominated the party in Anambra State had been chased out and sentenced to hard labour.”

He said he would deploy the same skills that he used as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria in fixing the problems of Anambra State.

In his address, Ejezie said that by exploiting the mercantile nature of the people of the state, he would use the Onitsha Main Market to engineer Anambra’s economy.

He said he would do so by building many shopping malls.

Ngige, on his part, said the much talked about development in the state would not take place unless basic things like roads, infrastructure and security were put in place.

He disagreed with Soludo that Igbo people should move to the PDP, describing the party he co-founded as a “dying party.”

He said the best state governments in Nigeria today were not controlled by the PDP.

Obi lamented the state of affairs in Anambra when he assumed office in 2006. He said the state lacked improtant facilities such as a government house; governor’s lodge; as well as base maps for the three major cities.

He also said there was no master plan and that the state was in arrears in paying salaries and pensions.

He said he had to delve into developing all sectors simultaneously because the United Nations defined development beyond merely focusing on one area.

Dr. Andy Uba of the Labour Party; Mrs. Uche Ekwunife of the Progressive Peoples Alliance; Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of the Hope Democratic Party; and Chief Okey Nwosu of the African Democratic Congres were some other top contenders that were absent from the debate.



http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2009122214543748

Governor Obi

Why dont you people do not me to be Governor.

Make me governor please.

Why did Andy Uba and others stayed away?

make them continue with that childish politics. No wonder why the Nxt Governor (Andy Uba) overlook that childish affair. But come to think of it, Anambra needs somebody like andy uba as governor because the guy get connections wey go help the state. Remember that in his first 2 weeks as governor, he increased the civil servants salary and gave a contract for the state airport(very needfu) which bad belly talkative obi cancel. Not campaigning sha but as an indegene, i know what that state needs and it is Andy and for sure, everybody knows he is the annoited governor. Sloudo?? (not a politician, no antecedent), Ngige?? (ok, but its time to just take a rest and allow your works speak for itself why trying to scrap off all those election rigging hoopla following u) Obi (Dormant!! No progress, talkative). Shou I continue? Come feb.
signing out

To make matters worse, public power supply was cut off just as Obi took the microphone.

I love this part, this is what should be happening each time any of our leaders has something to say and until they fix the power problem in the country, i don't think any of them deserve a second chance. It is better we continue changing Governors every four years till one gets it right.

Spyker:

To make matters worse, public power supply was cut off just as Obi took the microphone.

I love this part, this is what should be happening each time any of our leaders has something to say and until they fix the power problem in the country, i don't think any of them deserve a second chance. It is better we continue changing Governors every four years till one gets it right.

I am beginning to see Anambra politics as a do-or-die issue here. Why are the politicians behaving like this? Even the people of the state, are just allowing things to go unnoticed. Is it by force to serve, as they alwys claim?

selingel:

I am beginning to see Anambra politics as a do-or-die issue here. Why are the politicians behaving like this? Even the people of the state, are just allowing things to go unnoticed. Is it by force to serve, as they alwys claim?

That is why I always say that, even if Biafra is created, the Igbos that I know are never co-ordinated. Brother will fight brother just to be the next President. Anambra case is a typical case study. I just tire!.

Spyker:

To make matters worse, public power supply was cut off just as Obi took the microphone.

I love this part, this is what should be happening each time any of our leaders has something to say and until they fix the power problem in the country, i don't think any of them deserve a second chance. It is better we continue changing Governors every four years till one gets it right.

Do you think these people are moved?.

Enjoyment1:


That is why I always say that, even if Biafra is created, the Igbos that I know are never co-ordinated. Brother will fight brother just to be the next President. Anambra case is a typical case study. I just tire!.

Biafra is a Mirage in Nigeria. It can never ever happen again. They lost the opportunity because of greed. Had it been they carried Niger Delta along then, they would have succeeded. Anyway, Anambra politics is the real picture of Igbo politics. I am very sorry, if I sounded harsh, but it is the truth.

^^^ Biafra was not a mirage. It was a mistake of the past that willl never and can never be corrected,

Enjoyment1:


That is why I always say that, even if Biafra is created, the Igbos that I know are never co-ordinated. Brother will fight brother just to be the next President. Anambra case is a typical case study. I just tire!.

This is just your opinion not fact, neither is debate in Anambra State talking about Igbo president. You are a bit deviated from expected line of post.
Before you know it some Igbo guys here will come and attach you , thus this topic will end up in tribalism section.

mrperfect:

This is just your opinion not fact, neither is debate in Anambra State talking about Igbo president. You are a bit deviated from expected line of post.
Before you know it some Igbo guys here will come and attach you , thus this topic will end up in tribalism section.

You are very correct my brother, but Ndigbos must do it right at least for once. It is beginning to give us bad name. Everybody now see us as a tribe that can never get it right.

Well, we are talking about Anambra debate Not Ndi-Igbo as insinuated. The term Igbo is broad than the topic under consideration.

anambra ppl are blessed with handsome criminals as intending govs.
imagine criminals in a debate show. imagine such a show of shame on televission.
round peg in a square hole

This is a norm in Nigeria, so stop saying ndigbo. Is Yaradua not imposed on us and almost all the state governors, so what are we talking about.

The whole system need to be changed, is not all about a particular tribe. The head is corrupt.

Oboma1:


You are very correct my brother, but Ndigbos must do it right at least for once. It is beginning to give us bad name. Everybody now see us as a tribe that can never get it right.

seems like am missing something here, is there anyone else who have got it right?

Anambra story is just part of the larger Nigerian story. Its not an Anambra problem its a Nigerian problem, we recently saw it in Ekiti and my guess is if we have more staggered elections in all regions these problems will come to the fore.

mikeansy:

seems like am missing something here, is there anyone else who have got it right?

Anambra story is just part of the larger Nigerian story. Its not an Anambra problem its a Nigerian problem, we recently saw it in Ekiti and my guess is if we have more staggered elections in all regions these problems will come to the fore.

Yes, but when it is lingering so much in one state, what happens?

mikeansy:

seems like am missing something here, is there anyone else who have got it right?

Anambra story is just part of the larger Nigerian story. Its not an Anambra problem its a Nigerian problem, we recently saw it in Ekiti and my guess is if we have more staggered elections in all regions these problems will come to the fore.

I am tired of this situation in Anambra. I wish that state a credible election, and less electoral noise. It is well.

Enjoyment1:


I am tired of this situation in Anambra. I wish that state a credible election, and less electoral noise. It is well.

Abeg, Soludo don win!. Shekinah. INEC has announced Omisore as winner in Osun. That is how they will do for Soludo.