Date Published: 02/01/10

Dear Sir,

Anambra 2010 Debate: Anti-Party comments Give It To Obi

Nigerian dailies of Wednesday 27 th January 2010 were awash with the outcome of the face-to-face debate that took place in Awka the previous day in which seven contenders to the seat of Anambra Governor took part. It was organized by a body called Anambra Rebirth and supported by Anambra State Good Governance Forum. The contenders were ADC’s Ralphs Nwosu, PDP’s Chukwuma Soludo, AC’s Chris Ngige, LP’s Andy Uba, HDP’s Nicholas Ukachukwu, APGA’s Peter Obi, and PPA’s Uche Ekwunife who was absent with reason of an already committed campaign programme. These were the ones considered to be serious candidates by the organizers.

At the forum, Soludo said he joined the governorship race out of anger; Ngige said his was out of joy because he has what it takes to return the State to the part of greatness; while Obi said that he was seeking re-election because of the success he had recorded so far in developing the state which he said was “comatose when I assumed office in 2006”.  Peter Obi of APGA could say so because of the encouraging statement from PDP stalwarts: Governor Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State and a PDP BoT member (Chief Don Etiebet) both averred that Anambra was comatose under PDP past governments in the State before Obi came in to restore and they directly pleaded Anambra people to allow Obi continue in office. This ironical credit to Obi was even after the PDP had announced Soludo as their candidate for the election. PDP’s Senator Annie Okonkwo crowned the duo’s statement by saying that Soludo cannot be Governor of Anambra State. His statement was contained in the interview he gave the Daily Sun newspaper of 13/01/10. 

But most Anambra people believe that the election would be tough and too close to call a winner. Since the February 6 is just around the corner, that day’s proceedings would determine who the next Anambra governor becomes for the next four years.    

Dr. Ikechukwu Anunobi,

Plot 113 Nkisi Road,

ONITSHA, Anambra State

ikechukwuanunobi@yahoo.com