Obi says he won’t attend debate while Tinubu and Atiku dodge public scrutiny
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Peter Obi says he will no longer attend presidential debates if the candidates of other political parties choose to avoid rigorous public scrutiny, as witnessed on Sunday when both Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar failed to attend the first such debate.
The townhall was organised in Abuja by Arise Television, Centre for Development and Democracy (CDC), and other partners.
Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been avoiding live media scrutiny since he clinched the ticket in June. His running mate Kashim Shettima was also absent at the townhall.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been interviewed live on television – which is not the same thing as a public debate – but on Sunday he sent in his running mate and Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
Obi, a member of the Labour Party (LP), was joined by two other presidential candidates – Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), and Kola Abiola of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
LP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Director General Doyin Okupe expressed disgust that the absence of other presidential candidates in public forums where they could be taken to task has become a growing trend.
“Let us make it clear today that these recurring acts will no longer be acceptable to the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Organisation,” Okupe said in a statement on Monday.
“While our candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and vice presidential candidate, Dr. Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, are prepared at all times to engage other candidates and the Nigerian people in any duly scheduled debates, town hall meetings, and any other appearances as designated and scheduled, they will only be prepared to mount the podium, with their peers in this presidential race, and not with any surrogates or diversionary delegated representation.
“This stand is taken with the utmost respect for the rights and desires of Nigerians to full and direct information, and first-hand responses and presentations necessary for the best assessment of worthiness, capacity, capability, competence, character, integrity and disposition, as required to make the right choice in these coming elections.
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History of Tinubu avoiding scrutiny
“The APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu on Monday 22nd August 2022 sent his vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima, to represent him at Nigerian Bar Association Annual Bar Conference.
“Again, … Shettima represented his boss at an economic and general policy initiatives engagement organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry on September 13th and 14th 2022 respectively.
“Once again, on Sunday, November 6, at the First Arise TV Town Hall Meeting, Obi and a few other candidates attended in person, not the presidential candidates of two of the major parties attended in person. The vice presidential candidate of the PDP was allowed to represent the presidential candidate.
“Obi and the [LP] Presidential Campaign Organisation totally condemn this disregard for the electorate and the people by these absentee presidential candidates.
Imperative of public debate
“The decision to present oneself as a presidential candidate does not start and end with the purchase, submission of forms, and certification as a candidate by INEC.
“It also forebodes on the candidate a high degree of responsibility to present himself for open discussions and explanations on his policies, visions, and plans for the people to enable a better understanding and engender an appropriate choice by the electorate in the coming election.
“Anything short of the simple, transparent, and honest adherence to this basic contract of responsibility falls short of the standards of fair contest and engagement.
“This could only be interpreted as a mischievous evasion of the desired interface with the people.”