The presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili and Fela Durotoye of Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) has urged the Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) and the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON) to involve candidates of other political parties in the presidential debate.
Ezekwesili stated that opportunity should be given to candidates of other political parties, noting that allowing more candidates to take part in the debate will broaden Nigerians understanding of candidate’s ideologies.
While Durotoye said that the debate must include other candidates and give them the chance to make their visions known to Nigerians.
He said “inclusiveness is the beauty of democracy and I believe the organizers of the Presidential Debates should include other frontline candidates.”
Other respective individuals stated their views about the issue. A public affairs analyst, Kola Pedro said “There is no reason to exclude some candidates who are highly respected and regarded as more competent and articulate than Buhari and Atiku such as Donald Duke, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, David Esosa Ize-Iyamu and Omoyele Sowore, all of who also have large population of youth supporters. They also have more social media followers than some of those chosen to participate in the debate.”
Another individual, Jude Dike, said “It will be a joke if it is restricted to Buhari, Atiku and the three others who are not better than Donald Duke of the Social Democratic Party, Rev. Chris Okotie of Fresh Hope Party and Rev. Ize-Iyamu of the Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP). Ize-Iyamuis the national leader of the about 17 million-member youth wing of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). Sowore is of Africa Action Congress(AAC) and Dr. Olawepo-Hashim of the People’s Trust party.
“In fact, Olawepo-Hashim and Sowore are renowned former human rights and student leaders with millions of supporters.”
Meanwhile, the United States government has urged candidates vying for the presidential post as well as their parties who signed the Peace Accord for 2019 general elections to respect it giving caution against any form of violence, hate-speech among other vices but rather to look out for policies that will be for general good.
