Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential
Campaign Organisation said on Friday that
the decision by the APC not to participate in
the presidential debate being organised by
the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria
(BON) was simply to shield from Nigerians
and the international audience its candidate,
General Muhammadu Buhari’s “intellectual
laziness and inability to constructively
engage contemporary national issues in a live
television and radio debate.”
The presidential candidate of the United
Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Dr. Chekwas
Okorie also described the decision of the
former Head of State, General Muhammadu
Buhari (rtd.) not to participate in the
presidential debate as a great
disappointment.
Director of Media and Publicity of the
Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-
Kayode stated that the APC knew that
General Buhari “will flunk it if he is subjected
to the rigours of debate on issues of national
governance and development.”
Fani-Kayode said he was aware that the APC
had already expressed its concerns, when
approached by an international news channel
for a debate, about the intellectual acumen
of General Buhari and had assured the news
channel that it was only comfortable with its
vice presidential candidate, Prof Yemi
Osinbajo, who has capacity to feature
brilliantly on the programme.
Fani-Kayode said: “We have just read a
report in the media credited to the APC
Presidential Campaign Organisation that the
party would not allow its candidate, General
Muhammadu Buhari, to participate in the
radio and television presidential debate
organised by the Broadcasting Organisation
of Nigeria (BON).
“The APC accused the organisers of the
debate of unhidden bias and campaign of
calumny by some key organisers of the
programme against the corporate political
interest of the party and its candidates.
“Whilst we will not bother ourselves with the
many reasons adduced by the APC, we wish
to state that we see the APC decision as an
attempt to shield its presidential candidate
from displaying his intellectual laziness and
inability to constructively engage
contemporary national issues in a live
television and radio debate.
“We had envisaged that the APC would be
reluctant to expose General Buhari to the
rigours of a live television debate because
the opposition party knows that its candidate
will flunk it. If the APC truly believes that it
is a party of progressive intellectuals as it
claims it should allow General Buhari to
prove that at the debate.
“Should the APC fail to participate in the
debate, it would also show the disdain both
the party and its candidate have for the
Nigerian people, denying them the
opportunity to make informed choices on the
basis of what each candidate will articulate
as propositions on issues that will be raised.
“We are convinced that General Buhari does
not have what it takes to sustain a coherent
argument on germane issues of governance
and development.
“We challenge General Buhari to a debate on
any national and international medium of
mass communication and our candidate,
President Goodluck Jonathan will be ready to
participate.
“On the other hand, President Jonathan’s
running mate, Vice President Namadi Sambo
is also ready to participate in the debate and
any other debate. Our presidential candidate
and his running mate will not raise flimsy
and escapist excuses such as “unhidden
bias” and the like, since we believe that they
are well-rounded intellectuals who have been
prepared by their experience in office to
answer any question under the sun on the
governance of our nation.”
UPP chides Buhari over boycott of
presidential debate…
The presidential candidate of the United
Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Dr. Chekwas
Okorie yesterday described the decision
Buhari not to participate in the presidential
debate as a great disappointment.
Okorie in a statement said the presidential
debate was a unique event in the current
development of democracy in Nigeria that
should be encouraged and not boycotted.
"The news that the APC presidential
candidate, General Buhari, will not participate
in the scheduled debates is a great
disappointment,” Okorie said.
In the statement signed by the Director-
General of his campaign organisation, Dr.
Ugorji Okechukwu Ugorji, the UPP flag-bearer
urged Buhari, "to reject his advisors’ voices
and show up for the debate".
Among the reasons given by the APC for
boycotting the presidential debate organised
by Nigeria Election a Debate Group (NEDG)
debates scheduled for February 8, 2015 was
the composition of its board.
However, Okorie said he did not find the
rationale given by the APC for withdrawing
from the debates convincing.
The UPP Presidential candidate said: “It is an
encounter that the UPP candidate had looked
forward to because the match-up was
consistent with independent polling around
the country that identified President
Jonathan’s PDP, General Buhari’s APC, and
Chief Okorie’s UPP as the three most serious
contenders in the highly anticipated general
elections to choose Nigeria’s next president
for a four-year term.
"The Chekwas Okorie Presidential Campaign
Organization (COPCO) believes the leadership
of the most significant and largest
democracy on the African continent should
not be acquired by avoiding what may be
difficult questions. My Vice Presidential
candidate, Barrister Bello Umar (SAN) and I
are ready for the debates
“I urge my compatriot, General Buhari, to
reject his advisors’ voices and show up for
the debates. That is what the nation and the
international community expect of him.”
THIS DAY LIVE
Campaign Organisation said on Friday that
the decision by the APC not to participate in
the presidential debate being organised by
the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria
(BON) was simply to shield from Nigerians
and the international audience its candidate,
General Muhammadu Buhari’s “intellectual
laziness and inability to constructively
engage contemporary national issues in a live
television and radio debate.”
The presidential candidate of the United
Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Dr. Chekwas
Okorie also described the decision of the
former Head of State, General Muhammadu
Buhari (rtd.) not to participate in the
presidential debate as a great
disappointment.
Director of Media and Publicity of the
Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-
Kayode stated that the APC knew that
General Buhari “will flunk it if he is subjected
to the rigours of debate on issues of national
governance and development.”
Fani-Kayode said he was aware that the APC
had already expressed its concerns, when
approached by an international news channel
for a debate, about the intellectual acumen
of General Buhari and had assured the news
channel that it was only comfortable with its
vice presidential candidate, Prof Yemi
Osinbajo, who has capacity to feature
brilliantly on the programme.
Fani-Kayode said: “We have just read a
report in the media credited to the APC
Presidential Campaign Organisation that the
party would not allow its candidate, General
Muhammadu Buhari, to participate in the
radio and television presidential debate
organised by the Broadcasting Organisation
of Nigeria (BON).
“The APC accused the organisers of the
debate of unhidden bias and campaign of
calumny by some key organisers of the
programme against the corporate political
interest of the party and its candidates.
“Whilst we will not bother ourselves with the
many reasons adduced by the APC, we wish
to state that we see the APC decision as an
attempt to shield its presidential candidate
from displaying his intellectual laziness and
inability to constructively engage
contemporary national issues in a live
television and radio debate.
“We had envisaged that the APC would be
reluctant to expose General Buhari to the
rigours of a live television debate because
the opposition party knows that its candidate
will flunk it. If the APC truly believes that it
is a party of progressive intellectuals as it
claims it should allow General Buhari to
prove that at the debate.
“Should the APC fail to participate in the
debate, it would also show the disdain both
the party and its candidate have for the
Nigerian people, denying them the
opportunity to make informed choices on the
basis of what each candidate will articulate
as propositions on issues that will be raised.
“We are convinced that General Buhari does
not have what it takes to sustain a coherent
argument on germane issues of governance
and development.
“We challenge General Buhari to a debate on
any national and international medium of
mass communication and our candidate,
President Goodluck Jonathan will be ready to
participate.
“On the other hand, President Jonathan’s
running mate, Vice President Namadi Sambo
is also ready to participate in the debate and
any other debate. Our presidential candidate
and his running mate will not raise flimsy
and escapist excuses such as “unhidden
bias” and the like, since we believe that they
are well-rounded intellectuals who have been
prepared by their experience in office to
answer any question under the sun on the
governance of our nation.”
UPP chides Buhari over boycott of
presidential debate…
The presidential candidate of the United
Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Dr. Chekwas
Okorie yesterday described the decision
Buhari not to participate in the presidential
debate as a great disappointment.
Okorie in a statement said the presidential
debate was a unique event in the current
development of democracy in Nigeria that
should be encouraged and not boycotted.
"The news that the APC presidential
candidate, General Buhari, will not participate
in the scheduled debates is a great
disappointment,” Okorie said.
In the statement signed by the Director-
General of his campaign organisation, Dr.
Ugorji Okechukwu Ugorji, the UPP flag-bearer
urged Buhari, "to reject his advisors’ voices
and show up for the debate".
Among the reasons given by the APC for
boycotting the presidential debate organised
by Nigeria Election a Debate Group (NEDG)
debates scheduled for February 8, 2015 was
the composition of its board.
However, Okorie said he did not find the
rationale given by the APC for withdrawing
from the debates convincing.
The UPP Presidential candidate said: “It is an
encounter that the UPP candidate had looked
forward to because the match-up was
consistent with independent polling around
the country that identified President
Jonathan’s PDP, General Buhari’s APC, and
Chief Okorie’s UPP as the three most serious
contenders in the highly anticipated general
elections to choose Nigeria’s next president
for a four-year term.
"The Chekwas Okorie Presidential Campaign
Organization (COPCO) believes the leadership
of the most significant and largest
democracy on the African continent should
not be acquired by avoiding what may be
difficult questions. My Vice Presidential
candidate, Barrister Bello Umar (SAN) and I
are ready for the debates
“I urge my compatriot, General Buhari, to
reject his advisors’ voices and show up for
the debates. That is what the nation and the
international community expect of him.”
THIS DAY LIVE
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