The governorship candidates of six parties in Rivers on Wednesday decried their exclusion from a debate organised by Nigeria Info FM, Port Harcourt, in collaboration with Rivers Entrepreneurs and Investors’ Forum.
NAN reports that the parties were excluded from the debate which held on Monday.
The aggrieved candidates were those of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Social Democratic Party( SDP), All Progressive Grand Alliance( APGA), United Peoples Party( UPP), National Conscience Party( NCP) and Kowa.
The candidates, who addressed a press conference in Port Harcourt, described the exercise as a “sham,’’ saying it was ill- intended and ill-conceived.
The candidates present at the forum included Mr Boma Jacks of PPA, Alatubo Harry, APGA; Minaibim Harry, SDP and Mrs Anastasia Tepikor, NCP.
The candidates, in a joint statement, said the organisers were mischievous and robbed them of their rights to be heard by the people of the state.
‘’Rivers people deserved to hear all their governorship candidates but the organisers took that opportunity away from them.
‘’Our people deserved to choose the best among the governorship candidates but the organisers mischievously robbed them of that right also.
‘’We conclude, therefore, that the Rivers governorship debate of March 23, 2015 was not intended to serve the interest of Rivers people but the venal interest of the organisers and other interests,’’ they said.
NAN recalls that only PDP, APC and Labour Party were invited to the governorship debate.