Ngige popular among grass roots

Dr. Chris Ngige, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in today’s election in Anambra State, represents the Anambra Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

He was born on August 8, 1952 in Alor, Idemili North Local Government Area. He graduated as a medical student from  the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1979 and subsequently went into civil service, where he retired in 1998 as a deputy director in the Federal Ministry of Health.

Ngige was the governor of the state from May 29, 2003 to March 15, 2006. He ruled for 34 months before he was ousted by the Appeal Court to pave the way for incumbent Governor Peter Obi.

Ngige’s foray into the governance of Anambra in 2003 brought an end to politics of godfatherism in the state. Against all odds, he fought the political godfathers who installed him as governor and became one of the most liked chief executive of the state. Specifically, his fight to free himself from the political godfatherism control of the Uba brothers made him  one of the most liked chief executives in the history of Anambra.

Ngige made a futile attempt in 2010 to return to Government House under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria but was defeated by Governor Peter Obi, who won under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance for a second term in office. However, luck came his way in the 2011 general elections when he narrowly defeated former Minister of Information, Prof Dora Akunyili, to clinch the senatorial slot for Anambra Central Senatorial District.

Political antecedents

Ngige is neck deep in the politics of Anambra as he had once been a governor and currently serving as a senator in the National Assembly. He said his coming back is to continue from where he stopped in 2006. Specifically, he drew a 12-point agenda that will cut across health, education, water, agriculture, transportation, electricity and infrastructural development among others which he plans to start when elected.

Strengths

He is believed to be a frontline candidate for today’s election because one of his strengths when he ruled for 34 months was the will to execute projects that endeared  him to the hearts of the people. For instance, he built roads across the state and completed some abandoned road projects. He ensured that the welfare of workers and pensioners were settled through prompt payments.

Weaknesses

As the APC candidate for today’s election, some of Ngige’s kinsmen may still be bitter with the recent controversial deportation of some Igbos by the Lagos State Government which is another APC state. Although the emergence of the APC has given the party a more national outlook, sentiments are still attached to the Yoruba element from the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria in the merger. But it is unclear if ethnic colouration will play a prominent role today. Again, he is from a senatorial zone where the incumbent Governor Obi hails from. Both the south and central senatorial districts have produced governors, but the north has not. He will have to contend with two other candidates who are from the northern district.