2019 Presidential Debate

Five Presidential aspirants, President Buhari of the ruling APC, Atiku Abubarkar of PDP, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili of ACPN, Mr Durotoye of ANNP and Mr Kingsley Moghalu of YPP were invited for the presidential debate organized by the Nigerian Election Debate Group (NEDG) and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) on January 19, 2019 but only the candidates from ACPN, ANNP and YPP honored the invitation and participated to the admiration of Nigerians that watched the debate.

We see no reason why Buhari of the ruling APC did not at least honour Nigerians at a time when Nigerians want to hear his plans and programmes for Nigerians, and to answer most of the puzzling questions troubling Nigerian as a nation that he is ruling, yet, he has time and was fit for his political rallies. On the other hand, we also see no reason why his main opposition of the PDP, Mr Atiku Abubakar honoured the invitation but did not participate, to give Nigerians the honour and opportunity to know him better and his intentions. The absence of President Buhari is not an excuse for him not to participate because it is not about Buhari but about Nigerians.

The three aspirants that participated were right about the absence of the two main aspirants. According to Oby Ezekwesili; “if they cared about Nigeria, they would have come for a contest of ideas related to how Nigeria could be saved”. Durotoye on the other hand said that their absence is as a matter of pride, adding that pride goes before a fall. Kingsley Moghalu’s statement was more impressive. He said that they did not attend because they have no answers to the questions troubling Nigeria, and more importantly, he said that they believe they have caged Nigerians and Nigerians cannot do without them. In other words, whether Nigerians like it or not, they already have our votes.

However, the presidential candidates of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) Mrs Oby Ezekwesili; The Alliance for New Nigerian Party (ANNP), Mr Durotoye; and the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Mr Kingsley Moghalu have endeared themselves to Nigerians, they have made Nigerians proud by their performance. They passionately dished out their plans for Nigerians on matters regarding education, security, budget and finance, Technology, girl child protection, health, etc, if they emerge President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. People like them should be voted in to lead Nigeria but the question now is: will the negative forces and system in place allow them into such leadership position?

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi