Three presidential candidates have dramatically pulled out of a debate scheduled to hold next week Tuesday. In a joint statement signed by the spokespersons for Ibrahim Shekarau, Muhammadu Buhari and Nuhu Ribadu, the candidates claimed they were "suspicious" of President Jonathan's relationship with the debate's organisers, the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN).
The statement also cited President Jonathan's snub of last week's NN24 debate as a sign of the People Democratic Party's "impunity". The president's behaviour was described as "egotistical condescending and unbecoming" and this resulted in the three men deciding to sit out the March 29th televised debate.
They were immediately challenged by the Goodluck Jonathan Presidential campaign to rethink their decision on the basis of what it claimed was that the BON debate would provide a golden opportunity for Nigerians to assess the various presidential candidates.
Eight candidates
The decision left Prof. Pat Utomi of the Social Mega Democratic Party, SDMP, and Mr. John Dara of the National Transformation Party, NTP, as the major figures left of the eight presidential candidates invited for the debate. Others to debate with Jonathan are Hon. Amisu Santuraki of the Mega Progressive Peoples Party, MPPP; and the only female candidate in the presidential race, Chief (Mrs.) Ebiti Ononyom Ndok of the United National Party for Development, UNDP.
The debate is organised by the Nigerian Election Debate Group which comprises the Nigerian Guild of Editors, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Alliance for Credible Elections, ACE, among other civil society groups.
The presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party, NCP, Bashorun Dele Momodu; on his part rebuked Buhari, Ribadu and Shekarau for the decision describing their action as an ego trip. Momodu said indiscipline must not be replied with indiscipline as he said that he was on his part ready for the debate.
Although the source learnt, yesterday, that Momodu was not listed for the presidential debate.
The candidates were reportedly chosen on certain criteria including the number of candidates fielded by their parties to contest the House of Representatives election.
The decision of the trio to boycott the debate, our source learnt, was mooted while they waited vainly for President Jonathan to arrive for the debate hosted by the NN24 last Friday. Sources said the three presidential candidates in their discussions decided to boycott the BON event as a way of expressing their displeasure of what they felt was the President’s action.
Another presidential debate is scheduled to be held today in Abuja.
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