- ADC, AP, APA, ID, DPP shun debate
The arrangement to make the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election of November 16 successful yesterday got a boost as the first debate for the governorship candidates took off.
At the debate, seven governorship candidates; Dr. Chris Ngige, All Progressives Congress, APC; Dr. Willie Obiano, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA; Ifeatu Ekelem, ACD; Aaron Igweze, Alliance for Democracy, AD; Okeke Chika Jerry, Action Alliance, AA; Anthony Anene, Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN and Austin Nwangwu, CPP exchanged arguments and unveiled key programmes and policies as contained in their respective manifestoes.
The debate for the governorship candidates' being organised by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group, NEDG, which took place at the Women Development Centre, Awka was boycotted by Anayo Arinze, ADC; Chukwuemeka Nwankwo, AP; Patrick Chukwuka Ibezeako, APA; Christian Ikechukwu Otti, ID and Chijioke Geoffrey Ndubuisi, DPP.
The session started with the moderator asking the participants to respectively introduce themselves and tell the audience the key policies and programmes he will pursue if he wins the election. They also respectively parried the questions that were raised by the moderator to test their grasp of the contemporary problems of Anambra State.
The first to speak was the AA candidate, Okeke Chika Jerry, who described himself as a youth and graduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. He promised to get the youth fully employed, a move he said will considerably resolve the various problems confronting Anambra State.
Jerry said erosion problems of the state will be tackled through the provision of adequate drainages, in addition to the construction of good housing estates for low income earners. Ekelem of the ACD, a United States-based medical doctor, said he is a byproduct of what is good in Anambra State. He decried the situation whereby politicians have become demigods in Anambra pushing everybody around.
Ekelem promised to tackle youth unemployment, which he attributed to bad leadership and governance; embark on the construction an airport in Awka and a comprehensive development of the capital city.
He also promised affordable shelters throughout the state and set up a holding company. Anene of the ACPN said he came into the race to put things in order, adding that he will create jobs, carry out industrialisation and create a new middle class.
He also promised to tackle erosion menace using his knowledge as a civil engineer. Igweze, who represented the AD, said he will run an open door administration devoid of cabalistic godfathers. He promised to build roads and give support to farmers and cooperative societies.
The APC candidate, Senator Ngige, dwelt on the issues of provision of adequate security, good roads, improved electricity, industries, free primary and secondary education and a health system.
"We must secure the state for investments to thrive. We will confront the erosion problem frontally by planting trees. We have to do low cost housing and give loans for people to build houses. We will tackle the energy problem," Ngige assured.
Obiano, the APGA candidate, stated that he will drive the process through mechanised agriculture, industrialisation and development of the oil and gas sector and provision of security for lives and property. He said that provision of good shelter and roads are the key components of what he will do as governor.
According to Obiano, who exchanged banters with Ngige during the proceedings, "We will mechanise the agriculture sector, the refinery will be fully operational within the first months of my tenure and this will create jobs and industries. I have a tested pedigree, I have a plan to attract counterpart funding and donor agencies.