The furore over the withdrawal of the All Progressives Congress, APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari from the scheduled debate proposed by two media groups has unsettled some. But it is nothing new.
By Clifford Ndujihe, Dapo Akinrefon & Charles Kumolu
SINCE the 1993 presidential debates between the late Chief MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC) debates have become a recurring and important feature of our electioneering process.
The 1993 presidential debate helped undecided voters to make up their minds on who to vote for in the famous June 12, 1993 elections.
It was thus with this hope that the polity awaited the debate proposed by the National Election Debate Group (NEDG) in collaboration with the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Africa Independent Television AIT and Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).
However, a few days to the debate, the APC’s presidential candidate, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) opted out of the debate alleging that the organisers had taken position against him. Buhari was particularly vexed by the repeated one hour documentaries cast by NTA and AIT which he alleged were laced with lies and personal venom against him and his family including allusions to his late dauther and late former wife.
In the face of what he claimed were clear indications of bias that he would not participate in a debate organised by the two bodies.
Buhari’s decision to opt out of the debate raised dust in the polity. Leaders and supporters of the PDP hecklied and taunted him with the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation boasting that President Jonathan was ready to meet and debate with General Buhari anywhere he chooses.
* President Jonathan
While the boycott of the NEDG’s debate was still generating furore, the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Channels Television and Arise TV fixed another debate.
Buhari again opted out saying that he had scheduled a series of town hall meetings across the country where he said he would raise issues with Nigerians face to face.
That withdrawal was to stir more controversy.
In 2011, Buhari, who alongside Ibrahim Shekarau of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Malam Nuhu Ribadu of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) boycotted the NEDG presidential debates. Only President Jonathan attended the honoured the invitation of the NEDG in 2011.
Buhari, Shekarau and Ribadu, however, honoured a private sector organised debate spearheaded by NN24 which was, however, boycotted by Jonathan. In again opting out of the debate organised by the private sector, are now focussed in the series of town hall meetings taking place in six locations across the country.
The town hall meetings kicked off in Lagos on Monday with interaction between Buhari and Osinbajo with the Organised Private Sector (OPS) during which he unfolded his plans to revive the economy and fielded questions from members of the public.
Interactive session
Buhari said his party was compelled to chart this course because of the need to have a person-to-person interactive session during which pertinent questions will be posed to the candidates and responses provided.
“Our campaign decided to chart this path because we cannot afford to shy away from the more pressing urgency to have one-on-one interactions with Nigerians through town hall meetings,” Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu said.
Buahri’s move has elicited mixed views in the polity.
Participating in debate can’t determine a good leader—Tsav
Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav said: ‘’I don’t think that Buhari is dodging debates as some people are thinking. He is a retired military officer, who commanded troops in the past. Having attained the rank of a general, it will be wrong for anyone to accuse him of not having the confidence for public debate.
‘’APC has explained that the questions had been leaked to the PDP, that reason is genuine enough. I am not defending anyone of them but the truth is that Buhari has been campaigning on the key issues of insecurity, economy and corruption.
The PDP was wasting its time discussing Buhari, his daughter, his health and wife. Participating in debates cannot determine who will be a good leader or not. If Jonathan participates in the debate, it will not change the fact that he has failed as a leader.”
Buhari should participate in presidential debate—Ajulo
However, National Secretary of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, said Buhari should participate in the debate, which he said would help put issues in proper perspective devoid of propaganda.
His words: “The excuse given by the APC candidate that the organisers were government parastatals and agencies is not tenable because INEC too, by law, is a government agency. It then follows that if Buhari should boycott the debate, then he ought to also boycott the election, since it is being organised by a federal agency. The expectations of Nigerians and the international community will be dashed if Buhari should stay away from the debate.”
Come out and debate, Bode George tells Buhari
In like manner, former Deputy National Chairman South West of the PDP, Chief Olabode George urged Buhari to join the debate.
Wondering “why is Buhari refusing to come and debate,” he added that “debate is part of democracy. Any candidate who boycotts an election debate has something to hide and should be voted out.
Planned programmes
Let the APC candidate come and defend his planned programmes for Nigeria and his records as former head of state for he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. Buhari needs the support of Nigerians to win so he must come and defend the controversies surrounding him.”
All presidential aspirants must answer questions from Nigerians –Dayo Adeyeye
Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, picked holes in Buhari’s boycott of the debates saying, “Buhari and other presidential aspirants must answer questions from Nigerians that they want to govern.”
The minister said “it is obvious that Buhari is empty intellectually and is avoiding the presidential election debate so as not to ridicule himself.”
Adeyeye, in a statement, urged Nigerians to pressure Buhari to attend the debate, saying: “If Buhari is not comfortable with the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), he should tell Nigerians under which platform he wants his competence and mental alertness to be measured.
“Buhari can even choose which organisation to organise the debate and the venue. He can choose CNN, Aljazeera or BBC. All we are demanding is to see Buhari, who has been unable to speak for more than five minutes in any of the APC presidential campaign rallies respond to questions from Nigerians for three hours.”
Hi. I’m a Web Developer and Graphics Designer, I enjoy blogging as part-time and I draw a lot when I’m free. Thanks for visiting my blog today and I hope you come back next time.
0 comments:
Post a Comment