What would have been a clash was averted by the general manager of the station, Mr. Emeka Obinwa, who stopped the two candidates from meeting in his toilet.
Ngige, a former governor of the state, is the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, while Akunyili, a former Minister of Information and Communications, is the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance.
Ngige was due to be the guest of the station in a live programme, Crossfire, but due to his commitments in the field, he could not meet the 12 noon appointment.
He requested that the time be shifted for him till later in the day.
Meanwhile, Akunyili had been scheduled for 6 pm on the same programme.
When all hope had been lost that Ngige would make it, he suddenly arrived at the station at about 5.30 pm.
He blamed gastro enteritis for his failure to meet his appointment and asked to be shown the rest room.
A few minutes later, Akunyili arrived at the manager’s office tired and exhausted.
Before the manager could offer her a seat, she made straight for the rest room, where Ngige was already easing himself.
But Obinwa had to stop her, saying there was someone in the room. She then went back to sit on the sofa in the manager’s office.
Anxious about how the two candidates would see each other, everyone in the office waited to witness their encounter.
However, Ngige stepped out into an open embrace from Akunyili, who repeatedly hailed him, “Onwa!” Ngige’s praise name.
Akunyili did not waste time to tell Ngige, “If it is not me, it is you,” meaning that it was not a do-or-die affair between her and Ngige.
They later engaged in a friendly discussion that lasted several minutes with more embraces before Ngige left after securing another appointment for the programme.
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