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Tag: debates

  • 2023: Tinubu will not be railroaded into media appearances, debates – APC

    2023: Tinubu will not be railroaded into media appearances, debates – APC

    The All Progressives Congress, (APC), presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed  Tinubu, has attacked the camps of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi for accusing him for not showing up or sending a representative at the Ariste TV town hall meeting in Abuja.

    The former governor of Lagos said that the camps of the two contestants cannot force him to attend or send representatives for television debates.

    Tinubu made this disclosure through his Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga on Monday in Lagos.

    Recall that a spokesman of the Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign team said Tinubu was afraid of being exposed; hence his refusal to attend national debates.

    However, the APC presidential candidate said he would not be “railroaded” into appearing for media debates.

    A statement by Onanuga read partly: “The more absurd of the two positions was the one canvassed by the spokesperson of Atiku/Okowa campaign. The PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar didn’t also attend Arise News Town Hall Meeting.

    “Instead of PDP to tell Nigerians why its presidential candidate has not returned to Nigeria after their purposeless visit to United States where he and his other 15 peripatetic adults were given a cold shoulder by US senior officials, the spokesperson is busy chasing shadows.

    “We want to state again for the attention of both PDP and LP, that Asiwaju Tinubu will not be railroaded into media appearances and debates.”

  • 2023: We can’t force candidates to attend debates – INEC

    2023: We can’t force candidates to attend debates – INEC

    The Independent National Election Commission has said that it lacked the power to force any electoral candidate to attend a debate.

    INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu,  made this known yesterday during the quarterly consultative meeting with media executives in Abuja.

    According to him, debates are democratic rights and cannot be forced on any candidate and there were, however, “unspoken consequences” for those who failed to attend.

    He also stated that even in most advanced countries, nobody can be compelled to do anything in a democracy.

    He explained that debates, like voting, are a democratic right meant to better inform the voters and nobody can be compelled to participate in them.

    “I am not sure we can compel someone to attend the debate. You cannot do that,” he said.

    “Even in most advanced countries, you can’t compel someone to do anything in a democracy. Debate, just like voting, is a democratic right.

    “We know debates are to make citizens be better informed. However, there is an unspoken consequence for candidates not participating.

    “I also understand that some candidates prefer not to attend in order to avoid making mistakes that would drive voters from them.

    “We are, however, happy with the job the election debate group is doing. The effort of the media in this aspect should be supported, but they should also be non-partisan”.

  • ONDO DECIDES: I won’t attend Channels TV governorship debate says Agboola Ajayi

    ONDO DECIDES: I won’t attend Channels TV governorship debate says Agboola Ajayi

    Candidate of the Zenith Labour Party in the governorship election in Ondo state Hon. Agboola Ajayi has explained why he won’t be participating in the debate organized by the channels Television.

    Ajayi in a statement issued in Akure and personally signed by him said that he would be campaigning in Owo on the day of the debate.

    “While appreciating the opportunity it offered me to debate with other contenders for the office of governor of Ondo State, I have to let slip-by the offer because I am otherwise engaged.

    ” l have had my campaign in Owo delayed by a day due to security concerns related to intolerance and violence. The scheduled event will hold all day on Wednesday while final interaction with my team from across the state would hold in the evening of that same day.
    ”This is so that I could avail myself of Thursday, October 8th, the last day allowed for campaigns, to embark on a whistle-stop tour of some locations across the State. Ajayi said

    ” l hope my decision to maximise the time available for me to continue to dialogue with voters across the state, a third of who are mostly not able to enjoy debates on national TV because they are not connected to the national grid, will not be seen as taking your offer for granted.