Kano 2011: Kwankwaso, Gwarzo, Abacha clash in public debate

Posted by admin Kano, State News Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

KANO – Former defence minister and PDP governorship flag bearer, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso, is to lock horn with Muhammad Abacha of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, the incumbent Deputy Governor, Tijjani Gwarz, ACN, and Sagir Takai, ANPP, in a public debate organised by the Kano chapter of Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, NIPR.

The two hours live debate to be air on private and public stations in Kano would enable the candidates to unveil their manifestoes to the citizens.

Briefing newsmen in Kano, the chairman of the NIPR Kano State chapter, Mallam Sule Ya’u Sule, explained that the ‘gubernatorial debate’ would hold on March 20.

Yau Sule said the debate would afford members of the public to know what the respective parties had for the masses if voted into power.

The chairman who also is the Senior Special Assistant to Kano State Governor on Media and Public Relations, stressed that the governorship candidates had signified their intention to attend.

He listed the ACN, PDP , ANPP and CPC as the participating parties.

His words: “We create an avenue for all the gubernatorial candidates from CPC, PDP ANPP and ACN to come and sell themselves, with all the media in the state to cover and air the two-hour live programme at a non-partisan ground, with the choice of the best moderator”

“We decided to choose these four candidates from these four parties; CPC, PDP, ANPP and ACN in consideration of the popularity, grassroots support and strength of the parties in the state as well as some statistics given to us by INEC and letters have been dispatched to the candidates and they have responded by sending the representative to our meeting”,.

“All the members of the general public will have been invited but for lack of adequate space and man – management, we have decided to limit our venue invitation to some organizations and bodies such as the NUJ, NUT, NBA, NURTW, the council of Ulama, farmers association, National Council of Women Affairs, NLC and the Achaba and students unions among others”, the chairman emphasized.

In his response, the CP commended the idea , saying it was a laudable one capable of adding positive development to the politicking in the state.

The CP then assured of adequate provision security during the debate, he then called on the organizer to allow people to ask whatever questions they intended to ask from the representatives of the parties.
He said it would not be fair on the side of the organizer to either teleguided or censor questions from members of the public.

-Vanguardwp_posts