Despite pressures and promptings from some well meaning citizens of Anambra state especially members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) on Senator Chris Ngige to vie for the 2014 governorship of the state, he has said he may not run.
According to him, “am not the only politician in the state; I have not actually told anyone that I am interested in running for the office…” He however said he was still consulting widely on the issue.
Senator Ngige who spoke on a wide range of national issues in an end-of-the-year stock-taking press conference with journalists at his campaign headquarters in Awka yesterday dismissed the views of those insisting on making the choice of next governor of the state a preserve of the Anambra North senatorial zone, as alien to the power struggle in the state.
He said that as a stakeholder in the state he would not shut his mouth while Gov peter Obi tries to foist a non-existent, impracticable and unacceptable political pattern on the state by his trumpeting that its now the turn of the North zone to produce a governor in the state.
He observed that since both his almost 3years in office, before he was replaced by Obi who also spent 4years earlier, totaling 7years; whereas both of them are from Central zone, that it would have been historical for the governor to allow his much-loved North zone to have produced his replacement in 2010.
Moreso, Ngige reasoned that power was hardly ‘given’, but taken. He stated that from the beginning, Anambra North had always participated actively in the entire power equations, processes and struggles.
Going deep down memory lane the ex-governor reeled out details of participants in the gubernatorial race of the state since 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2010, and now that included more of Anambra North sons who were apparently unlucky. He succeeded in showing that able, active and formidable candidates from the zone are also rearing to slug it out with others this time again. He therefore urged Obi to desist from making the zone look incapable, disable and insignificant who should be led by the nose like the blind to belong.
He pointed out that if Obi’s postulation was correct sons of the Norht zone like Dr Chudi Nwike, Emma Anosike, Sam Ikefuna, Chief Mike Areh, Dr Alex Obiogbolu, Nnamdi Ozobia, Patrick Agbata, Okey Odunze, Frank Oramulu, Umenyiorah and Joy Emordi would not have participated in the election that produced Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju, himself, Dr Andy Ubah and Peter Obi, at all.
He therefore emphasized that any such zoning arrangement would be discussed and agreed on, before commencement.
The late Owelle of Onitsha and first governor general of the federation, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, and the late Ajie Ukpabi Asika who was the sole administrator of the old Eastern region, both of who were from Onitsha had ruled in 1952 and 1967-1975 respectively, and taken the turn of the North zone.
According to Ngige, “we had never allowed this dichotomy being subtly foistered on us by Obi. It is a poisoned chalice and we will not taste it. The idea was very bad and unacceptable.
On the federal government’s Health Insurance scheme, Ngige said it would be fine-tuned by the national assembly to give it a required verve. He also mooted that the national assembly gave in to the executives request for a staggering supplementary budget, even when the year was already gone. To avoid falling into an obvious trap of being the ones to give Nigerians a bleak Christmas.
He admitted they would probe the funds and its applications since the effect was not felt round the country at all within the yuletide.
