Anambra Polls: Ngige Outshines Opponents In Anambra Guber Debates

The ambition of Senator Chris Ngige, Anambra State gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to return as governor in the November 16, 2013 governorship elections got a very big boost as he outshined opponents, including Mr Willie Obiano of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the First round of Governorship Debates which held today at Emmaus House Awka.


The debate, which had candidates from APGA (Willie Obiano), APC (Senator Chris Ngige), UPP (Prof. Benedict Akanegbu) and Mr. Godson Okoye (UDP). The candidates of the Labour Party.

Ifeanyi Uba and of the PPA, Chief Goddie Ezeemo were conspicuously absent. While The Deputy Governorship Candidate for Labour Party attended the event, there was no representation at all from the PPA. No Deputy Governorship Candidate was however allowed to represent the principal.

The debates opened with the duo of Willie Obiano and Prof Akanegbu taking on each other as both Ngige and Okoye arrived late and produced a natural lull as both candidates put themselves and their audience to sleep.

But you could notice a pin drop as Senator Ngige arrived the venue. He immediately joined the debate and apologised for his being noting that he was wrong in thinking that the roads were still the way he left them. From then on the debate took a turn for the livelier.

Taking on questions from the panelists, Senator Ngige showed that he had a grasp of the politics and dynamics of Anambra State. He displayed this on several areas when he showed superior knowledge on a number of issues.

Even when Willie Obiano surprisingly asked Ngige the pedesrian question about not having a family and about the senators his performance in the senate,the APC candidate simpy simply punctured these questions.

Surprisingly, Ngige refused to ask Willie Obiano questions on the 250 million Naira scandal, his actions in the Aguleri/ Umuleri war, the issue of conflict with his wife agreement between himself and Umeh, rather the senator Willie would treat local governments vis a vis JAC funds, a term Willie Obiano could not come to terms with even while aspiring to be governor.

All through the debate Ngige appeared to be schooling Obiano, who looked lost most of the time.

For instance Obiano argued head-on with one of the panellists that Anambra State is already paying minimum wage, but all other candidates disagreed, while Ngige illustrated asked Obiano as questions follows:

‘You  were asked a question in this debate and you claimed that the minimum wage was being paid, referring to the payment on level 01,without realising that for  the minimum wage to have been paid, it ought to run through all the scales. Does it mean that you do not know anything about the Civil Service Structure and yet you want to be governor?’ It was not answered.

Meanwhile supporters of other parties other than APGA celebrated with the APC fans who were overjoyed with his performance with many demanding APC registration forms to enlist into Ngige’s party