We won’t debate Jonathan – Buhari, Ribadu, Shekarau

Posted by admin Latest Politics Friday, March 25th, 2011

Three presidential candidates for April general elections on Thursday said they would boycott the presidential debate with President Goodluck Jonathan scheduled for Tuesday. The debate is being organised by the Nigerian Debate Group.

The presidential candidates are Muhammadu Buhari of Congress for Progressive Change; his Action Congress of Nigeria counterpart, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; and Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau of All Nigeria Peoples Party.

Their decision to boycott the debate is believed to be a retaliatory action against Jonathan, who did not take part in an earlier presidential debate organised by an independent body -the NN24.

“We are highly suspicious of the celebrated romance with the BON debate by the President Jonathan’s camp which shunned the NN24 debate without an apology,” they said.

These presidential flag-bearers made their positions known in a statement signed by their spokespersons in Abuja.

The statement was signed by Messrs Yinka Odumakin, Ibrahim Modibo and Yau Sule on behalf of Buhari, Ribadu and Shakarau respectively.

The statement is entitled, “Our position on President Jonathan’s refusal to participate in the presidential debate organised by NN24.”

They noted that before Jonathan boycotted the NN24 sponsored debate, his representative Dr. Doyin Okupe had held several meetings with them, adding that they were taken aback when the president pulled out.

“Like millions of other Nigerians, we consider this behaviour of the president as egotistical, condescending and unbecoming of a man seeking a mandate to govern Nigeria. Leadership entails humility and respect for others.”

Okupe, they said, was the one who suggested March 18, when the debate eventually held.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Election Debate Group has unfolded the format and procedures for its version of the presidential debate, stating that it shall be a non-audience participation debate.

The Chairman of the NEDG, Taiwo Alimi, who stated this at a press conference in Abuja, asked those who would want to ask questions from the candidates to send their questions to info@nedgonline.org.

He also said there shall be no applause of candidates during the debates by the audience.

He said, “All Nigerians are requested and indeed invited to draw up questions that our panel will be raising with the presidential and vice presidential candidates during the debate.

“The questions should be concise, clear and direct. Questions are welcome on all areas of the economy and our national life. You are kindly requested to forward such questions to our email.

He said that only eight political parties were invited out of the 19 political parties that are fielding presidential candidates at the April presidential election. This, he said, was in line with the House of Representatives candidates of all the political parties for the elections as officially released by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the All Nigerian Peoples Party, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, on Thursday confirmed that he and some presidential candidates had agreed not to attend the Nigerian Election Debate Group-organised presidential debate.

Shekarau, who spoke to journalists at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Terminal Two, Lagos, said that he and two other candidates had had the opportunity to address Nigerians at a debate organised by Network News 24 Television Channel in Abuja last Friday.

-Punchwp_posts