Gov Orji walks out of political debate
, Says PPA supporters booed him
From OUR REPORTER
Friday, March 04, 2011


•Dr. Theodore Orji
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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The political debate organised by the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia for governorship candidates in Abia State, was yesterday, temporarily halted by the Abia State Governor, Dr. Theodore Orji, who walked out of the forum.

The state governor walked out on the priests, governorship aspirants, party members from various political parties as well as journalists, after protesting that he thought the debate was a forum where he would talk to voters in the state, “not knowing that the hall was filled with members of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).”

The governor, who came when about four other candidates were already seated was consistently booed by the capacity crowd when his name was mentioned during the introduction of participants at the event. This development made him very uncomfortable to which he looked at every corner of the venue and did not see the kind of people he was expecting to see.

As a result of the booing, the Chairman on the occasion, Prof. Emmanuel Meje stood and rebuked the crowd, insisting that all participants must be respected irrespective of party affiliations. It was at this point that the governor gave signs calling for the microphone, which was handed over to him. People thought he was going to kick-start the event as the chief executive of the state but instead he said he wanted to make an observation and spoke thus: “When I got the invitation, I was told that I will be coming to talk to voters in the state.

I have now noticed that this hall is filled with members of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and I should not be seen talking to them,” he thundered and walked out of the hall amidst jeering and shouts of “go, we don’t want you” from the crowd.

Baffled by the action of the governor, even when he was persuaded to stay, Meje and others told the audience that the debate must go on. The event, which was organised in collaboration with the Kolping Society of Nigeria was attended by Chief Chris Akomas, PPA; Chief Stanley Ohajuruka, Labour Party (LP); Chief Paul Ikonne, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Mr. Obioma Onyeaghala, Community Party of Nigeria (CPN).

Others were Chief Ako Atuloma, Congress for Democratic Change (CPC) and Mr. Emenike Owanta, Democratic Front for Peoples Federation (DFPF). Ohajuruka, who spoke after the debate said the booing of the governor was embarrassing. “I was disappointed with what happened because we needed to accord him some decorum as governor. I tried to persuade him to stay but his mind was made up to leave because nobody could have known the next thing that would happen if he had stayed, ” Ohajuruka said.

Yesterday’s incident was the second time in eight days he was booed at a public outing. The last one happened in Aba on February 24 at Enyimba Stadium during the flag-off of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign. The governor had hardly taken the microphone when the people began shouting him down, among other unprintable things said to him. The governor appears no longer comfortable in any forum where he encounters members of his former political party, PPA.

In a recent briefing of his campaign team at the Executive Chambers of the Government House, Governor Orji had expressed worry about the activities of the opposition parties, which he said seemed to have taken over the state, especially at the grassroots.

While re-inaugurating his campaign team for the 2011 general elections he had told them it would “be a shame that we have people like you while the opposition still exists. The opposition has been doing what they like in the state, forcing themselves on the people while we are doing nothing about it.”

I really pity my state.

@ EzeUche,you must not give up.Darkness can only rule over light for a shortwhile said Peter Tosh.You must give your resentment of this ignomy as much publicity as much as people.The people must have insisted that he addresses them!Failure to insist on their right to be informed by those entrusted with their political mandate/destiny is cowardice or lukewarmness.Imagine,fashola saying he would not address us yesterday!he would have lost almost his votes and kissed bye-bye to Alausa!The igbos are not cowards!They are not,for Godsake,political neophytes.Somebody must do more to energise people into activity that would build quality control into the process that produce their political leadership!If this man goes away with this attitude,no one should blame him or tinubu again

You can now see the type of leaders we have in this country. They are temperamental.They do not like criticism.

can anything gud come owtta dz devil's own state? Dz state haz bin in d dark 4 d past 13yrz nw, tufiakwa!!!

Seriously, without any bias here, the guy was set up and thats not fair. Afterall everyone's supposed to have a fair share in a democracy. Why then will they fill up a hall with only the opposing party fan present? I have always said it that our collared men should pray for wisdom when involved in politics or else they will keep soiling their garments! see one defacing a poster, now these. Whats wrong with them sef? Are they not supposed to be promoting peace? I salute Orgi for walking out, the organizers deserves no respect since they didn't respect him enough to tell him their plans and letting him choose whether or not he wants to be a partaker.

The current governor of a state who also happens to be running for another term in office can not and should not act like that in the particular situation described. He wants to govern a state but cannot tolerate dissenting voices. Does he plan to only be a governor for PDP members of the state?

So they booed him, shame on them. They should have given him a chance to speak first.
So he couldnt handle the heat and ran away. Shame on him. He's a coward. That was a very good opportunity for anyone who actually believes in something more meaningful than titles,money and prestige to at least attempt to win over some new supporters.

pdp is just an anti masses. they are a group of wicked vampires. they are criminals. nigeria and nigerians have suffered under pdp for 12 wasteful years. 2011 is the yr to wipe out pdp in our history.
nigeria does not belong to the dark powers. let there be light in this country.
forward ever backward never.
no normal nigerian joins pdp.
they are a bunch of failures so anyone running under the umbrela of pdp is doing so to pls the cabals and not the masses.
abia state must remain independent of pdp as my prayer is, imo my state must be delievered of ohakim and pdp.
abia going back to pdp will be like going back to egypt.
T. Orji did not do well at all because he has other parties to choose from.

can we for once tell ourselvs the truth ,that guy is not capable of runing that state or any other in the country.
the fashola,akpabio or amaechi get this kind of treatment at any time in the last 4 years. ABEG LET THE GUY REAP WAT HE SOWED, respect ko honour ni

Useless short man

Na hin papa and Mama be Voters.Idiotic politicians!Eight years could just pass Abians by.

how can you govern when you do not want to hear what the booing is all about. You are a useless man and not competent to run again. No right thinking citizen will vote for you, and you will be disappointed on the voting day as you will not even find any votes for sale.

I don't know anything about Abia governor
what did he do, apart from changing party.

All these booing will amount to nothing if he finally becomes governor for the second time.

Bukittes:

Seriously, without any bias here, the guy was set up and thats not fair. Afterall everyone's supposed to have a fair share in a democracy. Why then will they fill up a hall with only the opposing party fan present? I have always said it that our collared men should pray for wisdom when involved in politics or else they will keep soiling their garments! see one defacing a poster, now these. Whats wrong with them sef? Are they not supposed to be promoting peace? I salute Orgi for walking out, the organizers deserves no respect since they didn't respect him enough to tell him their plans and letting him choose whether or not he wants to be a partaker.

How about the crowd in the stadium

revomind:


How about the crowd in the stadium

I like dat! d question was so apt. . . at least, d stadium crowd was supposed to be pro PDP so what about them, @Bukittes?

revomind:


How about the crowd in the stadium

. . . Or the congregation at Christ the King Catholic Church, CKC, Aba, last year? Orji is a pathetic under-achiever, and anyone who supports him should be treated like a leper.

If the governor is particularly unpopular, then the people should remove him through the ballot box

duro4chang:

You can now see the type of leaders we have in this country. They are temperamental.They do not like criticism.

Na Ruler we get no be Leader dats why they take to thier heels when there's a lil' wahala and dem go still the claim say dem dey rule to be Leader, all those title dem no need am, His excellency, Dr, Lawyer, Professor, Chief Chairman etc etc for yankee if dem one address obama na only president obam dem go just call and dats all, leadership rulership position for 9ja na profession or business as the case maybe, well one day na one day wey monkey go hala baboon

Its not like the Gov. really wanted to walk out, but. . . . em. . . . uh. . . . but. . .

Lets blame the Yorubas! They are cowards and traitors and they hate us and they are the reason why people like Gov.Orji cannot "perform" because they keep all the Oil money and develop Lagos and other Yoruba cities with it. . . .

T.A. Orji is a fool. I hope he loses. Anyone who is linked with any of the Orjis need to go.

Odinaka00:

can anything gud come owtta dz devil's own state? Dz state haz bin in d dark 4 d past 13yrz nw, tufiakwa!!!

A state being governed by a 'so-called devil's agent', does not automaticaly convert it to a devil's own state. Please, GOD'S OWN PEOPLE OF ABIA (including my humble self) deserve an apology. Thank you.

Seriously, without any bias here, the guy was set up and thats not fair. Afterall everyone's supposed to have a fair share in a democracy. Why then will they fill up a hall with only the opposing party fan present? I have always said it that our collared men should pray for wisdom when involved in politics or else they will keep soiling their garments! see one defacing a poster, now these. Whats wrong with them sef? Are they not supposed to be promoting peace? I salute Orgi for walking out, the organizers deserves no respect since they didn't respect him enough to tell him their plans and letting him choose whether or not he wants to be a partaker.


Could you also inform the forum, the crowd that recieved him and GEJ last week. Was it also a rented crowd from the opposition? In case you are still sleeping he is about to hit the wall.

In case you are not aware. That man is a non performer, He is not better than the man that made him. He will never perform. He has not paid his resident Doctors in Abia State University Teaching Hospital for 7 months. Teachers are not paid for how long I dont know. He recently announced that the state is indebted to the tone of N31Billion, Theodore only discovered that 4month to the next general election, What more do you want to hear. Should Abians still allow such a man remain. No.

A vote for Ribadu is a vote for Progress, a vote for Ribadu is a vote for Improved Standard of Living, a vote for Ribadu is a vote for Economic Development, a vote for Ribadu is a vote for Positive Transformation, a vote for Ribadu is a vote for Massive Industrialization, a vote for for Ribadu is a vote for The Banishment of Corruption and Looting, a vote for Ribadu is a vote for Agricultural Revolution. Vote Nuhu Ribadu for 2011 Presidential Elections and Get the Real Dividends of Democracy. He is the change we need. Don't vote for looters in disguise, don't vote for Former Dictators that will make life unbearable for Human Right Oriented People. Vote Nuhu Ribadu for President 2011. The time is now, it is Possible. Nuhu Ribadu for sure.

Another PDP candidate who cant debate.

First it was Odechukwu now Orji

*strolls in

@bk.babe i see u

seanet02:

A vote for Ribadu is a vote for Progress, a vote for Ribadu is a vote for Improved Standard of Living, a vote for Ribadu is a vote for Economic Development, a vote for Ribadu is a vote for Positive Transformation, a vote for Ribadu is a vote for Massive Industrialization, a vote for for Ribadu is a vote for The Banishment of Corruption and Looting, a vote for Ribadu is a vote for Agricultural Revolution. Vote Nuhu Ribadu for 2011 Presidential Elections and Get the Real Dividends of Democracy. He is the change we need. Don't vote for looters in disguise, don't vote for Former Dictators that will make life unbearable for Human Right Oriented People. Vote Nuhu Ribadu for President 2011. The time is now, it is Possible. Nuhu Ribadu for sure.

You are clueless as usual. Ribadu is a fortunate fraud and I urge you to stay away from him so as to be visited with redemption.

My state is in trouble. We must not let that guy continue.

Sorry your excellency, it wasn't campaign. He thought it was campaign so that he could open his mouth wide and lash his tongue. He lacked the audacity to face the opposition canditates in debate, knowing fully well that he couldn't have defended himself considering the condition of the state. That gathering should have been an avenue for him to sell his candidacy but he was intimidated and he decided to walk away because that was the easy way out. Let it be known to him that he will not run away forever, sooner or later, he will still come back to face the mases and give account of his stewardship, then the people will know if he has lost the mandate to rule or not.

fool with proud of being fool