Anambra 2010 Governorship Debates

Anambra 2010 Governorship Debates: Contestants in verbal “war”



As Anambra people goes to the poll today to elect their Governor, the build up to the election was characterized by debates organized by various groups for the contestants. Aloysius Attah monitored such forums.



It had all the trappings of Western democracy as laid down for us by the Americans and Britons who have popularized debates for contestants to various elective posts as a prelude to their election proper.

However, the only difference is that we don’t see long stretch of car convoys by political aspirants in America during such moments of debate.



The political tempo has been charged in Anambra state in recent times as the Election Day drew nearer. The serious contenders to the Awka government house have been engaged in battle of wits and underground subterranean moves to sway the voters and curry victory at the end of the day.



Various stakeholders and media houses in contributing their own quota also organized various forums for robust debates and interactions between the contestants and the public so as to sieve and separate the wheat from the chaff.

In the past two weeks, Awka the state capital of Anambra have been agog with various debate forums. It has been so thick that sometimes two groups organize different debates for the contestants on the same day thereby bringing a clash for the participants.

At the last count, about fifteen different bodies have held debates. They include, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), civil society forum, The Nation newspapers, League of Anambra Professionals (LAP). Others include, Anambra Rebirth, Minaj Broadcast International, and Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR).

But it must be pointed out that in all the debates so far held, only three stood out as an authentic independent forum. Others were marred by what some observers alleged to be the inordinate desire of some sponsors of the debate for selfish reasons.


Anambra Decides

Anambra decides was the theme for the debate organized by The Nation newspapers and Silver bird television. The debate held at the Tourist Garden Hotels Awka was properly organized with live coverage from Radio Nigeria and other media houses that covered the event. The managing director of Vintage press limited, publishers of The Nation newspapers, Mr. Victor Ifijeh in his opening remarks said that the purpose of the event was to ensure that a hitch free, credible election was held in the state as only an informed electorate guided by the thoroughly discussed issues could make the best choice that would deepen democracy.



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Only 11 candidates out of the 25 going for the Anambra election attended the debate. To worsen matters, as if to confirm a grand conspiracy somewhere, some front-runners in the poll were conspicuously absent. They include Mr. Peter Obi, the incumbent Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the PDP, Andy Uba of the Labour Party and Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of the Hope Democratic Party.



The expectant crowd was left with Ralph Nwosu – African Democratic Congress, Njideka Anyadike – Nigeria Advance party, Uche Ekwunife Progressive people’s Alliance, Kenneth Chukwuemeka – Congress for Democratic Change, Mike Nwafor – African Liberation Party, George Okoye – National Movement of Progressives Party.

Others are, Patrick Egolum –New Nigeria People’s Party, Mike Ejezie – All Nigeria People’s Party, Eugene Ezekwueche - People’s Mandate Party, Chris Ngige – Action Congress and Godson Okoye – United Democratic Party.



With the exception of Uche Ekwunife and Dr. Chris Ngige, others present are alleged to be in the race just for the stipends and subventions INEC pays to political parties that fielded candidates for election and nothing more.

And so as expected, the debate became a show literarily prepared for Ekwunife and Ngige and they really exploited the opportunity to its maximum.



Ekwunife shines like an Amazon



The ex banker turned politician shone like the stars in the debate. From her convoy, measured steps, comportment and confidence while making a point and answering questions, she showed that she is a force to be reckoned with as far as the guber polls is concerned.



When one of the panelists asked a question that jolted all the candidates: where were you and what role did you play in the dark age of Anambra State between 2001 to 2003? (Mbadinuju era (emphasis mine). Ekwunife of the PPA was the first to respond to the question. She said, “Within the period, I was a bank manager, in the private sector with the now merged Standard Trust Bank. Since I was not a public officer, being a banker, I could not be heard on the issues of the moment”



Mrs. Ekwunife also used the opportunity to clear the air on the speculations that she used her office to get Mbadinuju to enter into transactions with her former bank. She also declared to the public that her seat at the Federal House of Representative is not vacant even as she is vying for the governorship seat, unless through a court verdict.


Ngige the clever politician



Oblivious of the absence of Obi and Soludo at the debate, Dr. Ngige became the hero of the moment. He not only declared that he was the Messiah Anambra needs for 2010 but claimed that all the 10 other contestants present are his boys which he can use to govern Anambra when he emerges the state chief executive.



Dr. Ngige also cleverly dodged the questions thrown at him on whether he will approach the courts for justice if eventually he wins the election but INEC denies him his mandate as happened between him and the incumbent governor, Mr. Peter Obi in 2003.


Anambra may have a Pastor Governor



Among the other nine contestants present at the debate known as “achikota ekwe onu”, one man stood out as not only cerebral but a charismatic preacher. He is Architect Mike Nwafor of the African Liberation Party (ALP) who distinguished himself as not only articulate but at a time, people mistook the debate to a religious crusade. Architect Nwafor, a staunch member of the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International was Pastors Tunde Bakare of Latter Rain Assembly, Ayo Oritesejafor and Bishop David Oyedepo all rolled into one.



Every moment of his speech was punctuated with biblical prophecies and thumping of hands in the air. Pastor we hail thee!!!









Then the mother of all debates:

The “Anambra Grand Debate” organized by the Anambra Rebirth and Anambra State Good Governance Forum (ASGOF) can aptly be described as the mother of all the debates. The organizers not only pulled all the political heavy weights together but literarily disrupted / swallowed another debate put together by League of Anambra Professionals (LAP) who coincidentally fixed their own the same day.



The programme with the theme: Deepening Democracy and Good Governance in Anambra State was organized by the two groups in collaboration with a coalition of 27 other organizations in the state.

With a panel of 3 moderators comprising- Dr. Reuben Abati, chairman editorial board of The Guardian Newspapers, Labaran Maku, consultant on public affairs and former political editor and member editorial board of Champion Newspapers and Dr. Okey Ikechukwu, director International Institute of Leadership and Governance, the conveners narrowed the number of participating candidates to seven.

Those invited are (in alphabetical order of political parties) Dr. Chris Ngige Action Congress, Chief Ralphs Okey Nwosu African Democratic Congress. Mr. Peter Obi All Progressive Grand Alliance, and Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, Hope Democrate Party.



Others are Dr. Andy Uba, Labour Party, Dr. Chukwuma Soludo, People’s Democratic Party and Hon Uche Lilian Ekwunife of the Progressive People’s Alliance. Unfortunately this time, Ekwunife was unavoidably absent.

Limiting the number of invited participants to seven was not accidental, rather it was to show that the chickens are finally coming home to roost and that the serious ones are being separated from the opportunists.

To arrive at a manageable number for the debate, the organizers said there was a preliminary evaluation of the spread and strengths of the all the candidates. The criteria used include - spread of on-going campaign efforts, party following within Anambra State , quality and size of rallies held so far, structure and management of the campaign organizations and stakeholders networking, media visibility and cohesion etc.



In an opening remark, the coordinator of Anambra REBIRTH, The facilitators of the debate, Mr. Ike Neliaku said that main objectives of the debate is to provide opportunity for Anambra people to feel, and assess the candidates seeking the office of the governor of the state, to refocus attention and shift emphasis to the content of the individual and his/her programmes for the state instead of money, violence, crude politicking as well as to elevate the politics of the state to meet global best practices.


Who said what?

The participating contestants were all given 3 minutes each to summarize the policy thrust and programme of his government if elected into office.


Dr. Chris Ngige – AC “ I was the governor of the state between 2003 and 2006 when I rescued your state its treasury from the hands of the buccaneers. Today in Anambra crime has increased; virtually everything positive is on the decline. We want to bring the state back from where we left it” Ngige said


Ralphs Okey Nwosu – ADC “What is lacking in Nigeria is discipline, without discipline we cannot move anywhere as a country and as a state. None of my fellow contestants arrived here by 9.30am stipulated in our invitation notice. I believe in craftsmanship, builders are visionaries not money bags. I’ve built APGA, and ADC, now is the time to build our state “said Okey Nwosu.



Mr. Peter Obi – APGA, “I received the masses support /votes in 2003 and it was stolen, in 2006 through the courts, I became the governor.

There was no plan or vision for the state, nothing was on ground to show that a government existed before us and our first commitment was to ensure that there was government. Our budget was supply driven but today it is demand driven. We give the people what they want and in line with the millennium development goals. That is why I want to continue the consolidation of these polices” Obi said


Prince Nichols Ukachukwu – HDP “The problem we have is that we come into government to learn the job. I was the first Ibo man to represent the Northern federal constituency in the National Assembly in Nigeria.

“I’m the highest employer of labour in the state today, with over 13 industries scattered across the state. Security should be given priority, job creation and youth empowerment others say they see hope in their campaign slogan but for us, we are the hope.

We’ve learnt the job, we are only coming to practicalise our learning”


Andy Uba – LP Fidgeting and almost incoherent he said “I’ve watched Anambra with keen interest, others have been there but I believe I’m the one to take the state to the next level. Creating an enabling environment and security of lives and property , job creation. “ I will send a bill to the state House of Assembly so that any contract given out, part of that , they must employ the youths in the job. You saw what we did in the short period we came in 2007, we shall do more”.



Soludo- PDP “I was a Professor at 38, my record in public service is there for all to see, I drafted Nigeria’s NEEDS and the state framework for SEEDS, I’m happy my governor here (referring to Peter Obi) adopted it and called it ANIDS”

I’m running for governorship seat of Anambra out of anger , anger that 40 years after the end of the civil war, Anambra with all it’s potentials to be the African’s Dubai Taiwan is still a desolate state. Mass exodus from the state , unemployment on the rise, okada business is the fastest growing business in the state despite all the billions of naira that has poured into the state.

“ I believe I have a plan for a new prosperity, in the bible, after 40 years great things happen. Anambra must begin a new journey to the Promised Land, my plans have been laid down in my manifesto and I wish we would begin the debate on the specifics. For us to explain how we can achieve it. I wish that we go to the nitty gritty of the debate – the issues of how .we are sick and tired of all these excuses”.


And Ngige admitted visiting Okija shrine

Spectacular things happened during the question and answer segment:

One question from the moderators to Ngige was his much-talked agreement with his former godfathers and the okija shrine saga. Tried as much he could to evade the question, he said” I was already planning to vie for the senate when my friends called me to be a governor. Knowing fully well that governorship election is not something one can execute alone. I entered into an agreement with Chris Uba. At a time their demands became too much and that was when the issue of oath taking came about. The pressure was so much on me and after consultation with my spiritual director, he asked me to comply with them for my own safety. So on that day around 2am we went there, I was with my bible and holy water and the rest as you know is history”





When pandemonium broke out: Not only at Ngige’s confession did the hall erupt into cacophony of voices Pandemoniumbrokout when Ichie Mike Ejezie of All Nigeria People’s Party walked in uninvited and rushed to the rostrum to take over Uche Ekwunife’s stand.

The security man accosted him, there was pushing and shoving for some minutes until calm was later restored and he disappeared in shame ruffled.



Finally the masses spoke:

Feelers across the crowd that graced the debate sessions gave kudos to the organizers for providing an opportunity for such robust and eye opening sessions.

The die is now cast, all eyes are fixed on INEC to play the impartial and unbiased umpire so that the wishes of the electorate shall prevail.