The Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG) on Monday in Abuja said the 2015 presidential debates would hold between Jan. 28 and Feb 5.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NEDG, Mr Sola Omole, disclosed this to newsmen after a meeting of the board, hosted by the former Chairman of Daar Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi.

Omole said that the Directors-General of the Presidential Campaign Organisations of the 14 participating political parties would open the floor on Jan. 28.

This, according to him, will be followed by the Vice-Presidential debates, billed for Jan. 29.

He said the debates involving the presidential candidates would hold in two sessions and would climax on Feb. 5.

Omole said that the group had contacted all the parties involved, adding that they all support the idea.


“We believe that debates are very important components of the democratic process aimed at giving the candidates the opportunity to speak directly to Nigerians.

“We want the Nigerian community to get used to the business of debating issues and we feel that this is a very strong part of building that culture.

“We have met with all the political parties, those we couldn’t meet directly, we contacted their senior officials and they are very supportive of the initiative,’’ he said.

Reports have it that NEDG is a coalition of broadcast, civil society and professional organisations, committed to deepening the country’s democracy.

It is also aimed at entrenching an enduring democratic culture through organised television debates since the return of democratic rule in 1999.

NEDG has put together the presidential debates to give the Nigerian electorate an opportunity to hear directly from all the presidential candidates.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/2015-nedg-releases-timetable-presidential-debates/

Another report has that APC may not participate in the debate because they observed that NEDG cannot organize a credible debate being a Pro PDP group. Read on below:

The Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) provided revised timetables for the anticipated presidential debates to SaharaReporters in an interview. A NEDG official, with the group for many years, confirmed that there will be a total of six televised vice presidential and presidential debates on Feb. 1 and Feb. 8.

President Goodluck Jonathan as a lone debater during the 2011 NEDG Presidential Debate

Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate from the All Progressives Congress (APC), has not yet confirmed his attendance for any NEDG organized debate, according to a senior NEDG official. A letter was sent to SaharaReporters last week from The Nigeria Group, stating that APC should be weary of participating in any event organized by NEDG because of their alleged pro-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stance. “NEDG cannot organize a credible debate…given its current composition,” and claimed that PDP received the debate questions in advance.

Reports emerged last week that a second group, with an alleged pro-APC stance, was organizing debates to counter NEDG’s. An official from an international election monitoring group told SaharaReporters that, “there are now two competing groups organizing debates, but neither platform has confirmation of both main [APC and PDP] presidential candidates.” When asked to comment a senior NEDG official said “NEDG is the only recognized platform for debate,” and cited its role in organizing the 2011 debates. No information on this alleged second group has emerged at the time of writing, and neither official could confirm any details.

The debates are expected to feature the four leading political parties, including PDP and APC, but NEDG is currently waiting for the list of established political parties from the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), a NEDG official told Sahara Reporters.

It is expected that vice presidential debates will be held on Feb. 1 and the presidential debates will be held on Feb. 8. The structure will have 3 two-hour sessions per day, and are expected to be televised on AIT, NTA, TV Continental, and Silverbird TV. NEDG is in early discussions with famed Nigerian broadcast journalist John Momoh to be the moderator, and will include two additional panelists.

According to NEDG, the debate times will be 12:00-14:00, 15:00-17:00, and 19:00-21:00 West Africa Time Zone.

http://saharareporters.com/2015/01/27/nigeriadecides-2015-presidential-debate-timetable-confirmed-despite-controversy

GEJ till hell rufai becomes a 7feeted man..

every thing is percieved to be corrupt in Nigeria. If president Goodluck performs very fine,the oppositions will surely say he saw the questions before the debate. Maybe until the US organises it, there may still be an outcry.

THE ILLITERATE IS RUNNING AWAY FROM THE DEBATE

NTA=AIT=VOA=RN=PDP WE ARE NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE

Why are the running na?

Illiteracy is a bastard