OWERRI – Only five of the 18 gubernatorial candidates of registered political parties in Imo State honoured the debate organized by the state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, in collaboration with the state branch of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN.

Some of the candidates who shunned the great debate included that of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Chief Ifeanyi Araraume, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Rochas Okorocha, Social Democratic Mega Party, SDMP, Chief Ike Ibe, and Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Chief Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.
Addressing the audience, Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr. Innocent Igwe, expressed regret that only five candidates responded to the invitation.

He said: “We invited all the governorship candidates. We are not happy that only five of them answered this call. We do hope that Imo people have taken note of the people here and they are now in a better position to know those that truly have their interest at heart.”

Answering a question, Governor Ikedi Ohakim said it was not true that Evan Enwerem University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, had remained under lock for weeks.

“The Teaching Hospital is open and no locked as being speculated. Consultants are working and surgeries are going on,”, Ohakim said.

Affirming that medical doctors are on strike in parts of the country, the Governor however said that doctors, like other professionals in the country, are underpaid.

“A high powered committee is negotiating with the doctors. I had already agreed to pay the N18,000 minimum wage. I captured the new wage bill in the 2011 budget, which is now receiving attention in the State House of Assembly”, Ohakim said.

In his own contribution, the Democratic Peoples Party candidate, Chief Robert Opara, said agreed that only one person must win at any time, adding that “if votes count and there is no harassment, intimidation, blackmail, I will abide by the result of the poll”

The Labour Party candidate, Mr. Chukwemeka Osuji, affirmed that “no government can fully implement the funding of education sector all alone without the assistance of the private sector and individuals.