ANAMBRA: APC, APGA candidates dodge debate

After receiving invitations to  the election debate Kwechin Unity Forum and Arise TV organized for the 20 parties contending the November 6 guber election in Anambra, the PGA and the APC candidates refused to show up.

The debate, entitled “2021 Anambra Governorship Election: Face the Voters”, was attended by only five candidates.

Those in attendance were candidates of; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Mr Valentine Ozigbo, Accord; Dr. Godwin Maduka, Action Alliance (AA); Chief Ben Etiaba, African Democratic Congress (ADC); Dr. Akachukwu Nwankpo and Allied Peoples Movement (APM); Col. Geoffrey Onyejegbu.

Other candidates, who shunned the debate include; Dr. Obiora Okonkwo of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Dr. Obiora Agbasimalo of Labour Party, Sen. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah of Young Progressive Party (YPP), among others.

Arise TV presenter and former Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati who anchored the programme alongside two panelists, probe the candidates on their manifestos.

The governorship candidates in attendance took the opportunity to speak on their intended programmes which dwelt on leadership, economy, agriculture, health, education, infrastructure, security, among others.

Kwechiri organisers are still wondering why the APGA flag bearer Chukwuma Soludo and APC’s Andy Uba, among others, didn’t  turn up.

“I don’t know why they did not attend. We invited all the candidates. The idea was to give them the opportunity to defend their manifestos before Anambra people,’ said Emmanuel Obieze,one of the organisers to the Daily Post.

“I would not like to say they are afraid of facing Anambra people to explain their manifestos, or to say that they do not have any, because they did not state the reason for their being absent,” Obieze said.