Jonathan may shun presidential debate

By Festus Owete

March 9, 2011 03:29AM

The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said yesterday it is still weighing the option of its candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, participating in a presidential debate.

The director of media and publicity of the PCC, Abba Dabo, in a chat with journalists in Abuja, explained that the body has not made up its mind because of several requests by the sponsors, some of which he said are not vibrant.

He said over five different organisations have approached the council for debate and that some of them merely want only four presidential candidates to participate.

He listed some of those that have approached the council to include NN24, Channels TV, and Nigerian Presidential Debate Council (in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

“Some of them said only four candidates and we say why. What criteria are you using? Why not all the candidates? Why do you think this one is important and not the other one? Again, some of them don’t have the reach. But we are still looking at the format the debate will take,” Mr. Dabo said.

The PCC spokesman also denounced the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Muhammadu Buhari, for asking Nigerians to lynch anyone who attempts to rig the forthcoming elections.

Stating that though Mr. Jonathan has already responded to Mr. Buhari’s call, the council spokesman said there are other ways to check rigging without necessarily taking people’s lives.

Not to die for

He said the PDP will not be involved in the rigging of election, but that the party and the council felt the CPC candidate has no right to incite Nigerians.

“He is contesting to be the president, most likely he is not going to win. Nobody in this country should incite the electorate to kill.

“That is why in contrast to what he said, the president said his wanting to be the president is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. It is an attitudinal thing. We feel very, very strongly about people of his calibre inciting Nigerians to do that, especially in an atmosphere like this.

“A little spark is all it takes to cause a mayhem. It is something that had to be brought to his attention so that it is not repeated. I understand prominent Nigerians have approached him to say they were really not happy with what he is doing,” Mr. Dabo said.

He, however, advised Nigerians to protect their votes after casting them, since, according to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made enough arrangement to ensure that the elections are transparent.

“Everybody should vote and make sure that your vote is protected, but it doesn’t mean kill. There are enough sanctions; there are enough arrangements made by INEC to ensure that these things are free and fair. People who are going to win are going to win fairly and squarely,” Mr. Dabo stated.

Mr. Dabo also condemned the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, for organising counter rallies when Mr. Jonathan and the PDP presidential campaign train came to Lagos State.

“Look at what happened in Lagos for instance. They knew the president was going to come in and have his campaign, but Fashola mobilised and had four counter campaign rallies. I cannot understand how a commissioner of police would allow that. Why don’t you wait till the president has gone? It is just to cause confusion,” he further said.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5682120-146/story.csp

Lagos Boy:


The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said yesterday it is still weighing the option of its candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, participating in a presidential debate.

They are 'still weighing' it! This is laughable. Is the request as heavy as that? If they spend this much time 'weighing' whether or not to participate in a debate, how easy would it be for them to make decisions on other issues that affect our lives - power generation, construction of roads, revamping of health and educational facilities, security, job creation, etc.

If partaking in a debate is 'heavy' for them, won't these other issues be 'heavier'?

hmmmm again I think the PDP presidential campaign are not organise, the truth about the whole things is that it does not matter welther only GEJ is at the debate what matter is that we want him outline before his contenders that HE (GEJ + PDP) have the manifesto to rescure Nigeria from her mess, not another wasted 4years trying and empty promises to the masses.

I would say PDP should honor the invitation or ask NTA + other credible agencies to televise the debate.

It just a debate nothing to weigh

GEJ will have my vote and many other Nigerians  if only he participates in the debate, period. I enjoyed presidential debate in other civilize countries (America,Britain etc). so why not enjoy same here?  

Mr. President has very little to gain from presidential debate and a lot to lose. He has to defend 12 years of misrule of his party.

juman:

Mr. President has very little to gain from presidential debate and a lot to lose. He has to defend 12 years of misrule of his party.

True talk.

Noooo!! Nooooo!! I no gree. Let all the candidates contend in the debate nobody is superior to anybody among them forget about their parties it is the man in the making we want to see abi them born some of them with two head?. As for time, we give them the whole day. Infact i don declare that day public holiday.

“Some of them said only four candidates and we say why. What criteria are you using? Why not all the candidates? Why do you think this one is important and not the other one? Again, some of them don’t have the reach. But we are still looking at the format the debate will take,” Mr. Dabo said.

see tactics


next GEJ will agree then sponsor one apga official to drag the case to court

Yes it is good to insist on every presidential candidate participating in this debate else they should back out. This is a very valid reason and if it is not fulfilled then it means there are sinister reasons why they picked just four candidate.

Blakjewelry:

Noooo!! Nooooo!! I no gree. Let all the candidates contend in the debate nobody is superior to anybody among them forget about their parties it is the man in the making we want to see abi them born some of them with two head?. As for time, we give them the whole day. Infact i don declare that day public holiday.

God bless you and hope goodluck haters will reason for the first time and leave sentiments aside, this is a valid objection to this debate and it should be enough reason not to participate.

gshefiu:

GEJ will have my vote and many other Nigerians  if only he participates in the debate, period. I enjoyed presidential debate in other civilize countries (America,Britain etc). so why not enjoy same here?  

Please brother sorry to bother you but how many presidential candidates do they have in civilized countries?

Is it possible to sideline any presidential candidate in those civilized country no matter how small their party is?

The only reason why GEJ is asking for the inclusion of all 19 or so candidates in the debate is to make it impossible for him to answer any question. How easy would it be to moderate 19 contestants and how long will GEJ be willing to commit if all the candidates are invited. Obviously GEJ would be happy that he'll not have to answer more than a single question by the time the show would be over.

PhD president indeed!

Pharoh:


Please brother sorry to bother you but how many presidential candidates do they have in civilized countries?

Is it possible to sideline any presidential candidate in those civilized country no matter how small their party is?

This shows your level of ignorance. There's nothing new in excluding candidates from a debate. Lagos just had one and only selected candidates were invited. For GEJ to hinge his presence on the premise that every candidate must be invited, it shows he's not willing to partake in the debates. Afterall the issue did not start yesterday and his representatives had attended several meetings in the past meeting with the reps of the other invited candidates.

I really can't tell how low GEJ will descend 'cos he's constantly defining a new low as the days pass by.

9ijaMan:

There's nothing new in excluding candidates from a debate. Lagos just had one and only selected candidates were invited.

So what is the fuse if he decides to exclude himself from the debate or is the right to exclude someone from a debate vested only on the organizers?.

He is does not want to be a part of a debate that deselects candidates without any clear mechanism for doing that which is even not democratic.

I am with goodluck on this one and trust me i would love to see a debate but not with this bias and sentiments flying all around the place.

Pharoh:


God bless you and hope goodluck haters will reason for the first time and leave sentiments aside, this is a valid objection to this debate and it should be enough reason not to participate.


Please brother sorry to bother you but how many presidential candidates do they have in civilized countries?

I[b]s it possible to sideline any presidential candidate in those civilized country no matter how small their party is?[/b]

I don't know why you are dragging yourself in the mud over this GEJ issue, you sound like a fairly reasonable dude but defending johnny with all your might is make that assessment void!

Erm the last PM debate in UK, only three candidate took part, and i dont remember seeing more than three or four candidate in the American presidential debate, so to your answer yes it is possible, it is the right of the organisers not to extend an invitation to everyone

Don't hold your breath. . . .GEJ will likely chicken out.

Pharoh:

So what is the fuse if he decides to exclude himself from the debate or is the right to exclude someone from a debate vested only on the organizers?.

He is does not want to be a part of a debate that deselects candidates without any clear mechanism for doing that which is even not democratic.

I am with goodluck on this one and trust me i would love to see a debate but not with this bias and sentiments flying all around the place.

the fuss is that he is in a stronger position as the current president, he is being challenged isnt this his opportunity to reinforce his popularity and show his leadership credential?

Are Nairalanders organising the debate or are you accusing the organisers of bias?

Its pathetic the way some berks are evincing their imprudence alfresco in the name of being anti goodluck and pro bad luck. How can a democratically thinking bloke buttress an atmosphere of inexpedient treatment of citizens, when we all believe in rule of law. Okay, i want to know whether those perceived minnows dont have henchmen? Pls, its hightime we started cogitating on any matter before exposing our imbecilism. Vote bb 4 mortification, vote ribadu 4 looting, VOTE GEJ 4 TRANSFORMATION. Goodluck to all of u

Dis Guy:

I don't know why you are dragging yourself in the mud over this GEJ issue, you sound like a fairly reasonable dude but defending johnny with all your might is make that assessment void!

Erm the last PM debate in UK, only three candidate took part, and i dont remember seeing more than three or four candidate in the American presidential debate, so to your answer yes it is possible, it is the right of the organisers not to extend an invitation to everyone

My point is in those countries you do not normally have more than four parties that presents a candidate for the presidential election. What makes you  to think that the other candidate are not better than those invited?. Do you think that if you were in ACN and you want to  contest for the presidency that you would be given the chance?. Those other parties are the best way for you to contest and in the spirit of fair play why should the invitation not be extended to you?. How would the Nigerian people know that you have a better offer or in your conclusion the invited candidates are the best among the contestants.

Let me ask you, what do you think is the criteria they used in sidelining the other candidates? are we looking for those that has a chance of winning the election or those who has better programs to fix the country?.

About your comment concerning me sounding reasonable, trust me i have called names and abused a lot and it does not do anything to me one bit. I don't care what the other person thinks about me, i am here to give my own perspective to issues and everyone is entitled to their own opinion that should be respected. If having a divergent opinion means i am not reasonable then it is the problem of the person thinking so and not me because what i care is my own argument which has been well thought out by me.

Trust me if someone like pat utomi, donald duke or fashola is running, i will be not be here talking about goodluck so i have my own reason why i fall in line with him most times because of the other candidates.

Dis Guy:

the fuss is that he is in a stronger position as the current president, he is being challenged isnt this his opportunity to reinforce his popularity and show his leadership credential?

Are Nairalanders organising the debate or are you accusing the organisers of bias?

In life brother you pick the battles you can to win and which you know that you have the strongest advantage, it is called strategy. Winning an election involves many strategic moves and if going to a debate does not serve you well then avoid it and find better alternatives to win the election. The president is a person that is reasonable enough to make choices which he deems fit are beneficial to him and it is not by force to reinforce your popularity by going into a debate. There are countless ways to kill a rat and it is your choice to pick what kind of trap or tools you need to do that and so to you it is only in debate that you can show your leadership credentials?.

About bias well it might exist but i have not investigated it alot right now to make a conclusion but one thing i know is that. The opposition candidates has heated up the polity and shifted the advantage towards their division by shifting the direction of the questions towards their main arguments. In a very reasonable debate i don't think those questions are needed in a debate and that is one of the reason goodluck is not interested in participating in the debate.

Pharoh:

My point is in those countries you do not normally have more than four parties that presents a candidate for the presidential election. What makes you  to think that the other candidate are not better than those invited?. Do you think that if you were in ACN and you want to  contest for the presidency that you would be given the chance?. Those other parties are the best way for you to contest and in the spirit of fair play why should the invitation not be extended to you?. How would the Nigerian people know that you have a better offer or in your conclusion the invited candidates are the best among the contestants.

Let me ask you, what do you think is the criteria they used in sidelining the other candidates? are we looking for those that has a chance of winning the election or those who has better programs to fix the country?.

About your comment concerning me sounding reasonable, trust me i have called names and abused a lot and it does not do anything to me one bit. I don't care what the other person thinks about me, i am here to give my own perspective to issues and everyone is entitled to their own opinion that should be respected. If having a divergent opinion means i am not reasonable then it is the problem of the person thinking so and not me because what i care is my own argument which has been well thought out by me.

Trust me if someone like pat utomi, donald duke or fashola is running, i will be not be here talking about goodluck so i have my own reason why i fall in line with him most times because of the other candidates.

Actually there were more than five candidate of different parties in the last in election in US, more than 12 in France's last election, more than Six parties with good representation in the UK. again it is the prerogative of the organisers to invite who they want or perhaps who their viewers/sponsors want, maybe the conducted a poll and choose accordingly. Why is the person invited worried about those that are not invited most especially when they are not in alliance with the other parties, why will the republican party worry about the non invitation of the green party?

I don't know the criteria but geopolitical representation and past election results wont be a bad guess, do you in anyway think the organisers are against Jonathan?

Pharoh:

In life brother you pick the battles you can to win and which you know that you have the strongest advantage, it is called strategy. Winning an election involves many strategic moves and if going to a debate does not serve you well then avoid it and find better alternatives to win the election. The president is a person that is reasonable enough to make choices which he deems fit are beneficial to him and it is not by force to reinforce your popularity by going into a debate.  There are countless ways to kill a rat and it is your choice to pick what kind of trap or tools you need to do that and so to you it is only in debate that you can show your leadership credentials?.

About bias well it  might exist but i have not investigated it alot right now to make a conclusion but one thing i know is that. The opposition candidates has heated up the polity and shifted the advantage towards their division by shifting the direction of the questions towards their main arguments. In a very reasonable debate i don't think those questions are needed in a debate and that is one of the reason goodluck is not interested in participating in the debate.

No a debate is certainly not the only way to exhibit your leadership credentials but it will certainly help most especially if you have in your one year of leadership avoided by hook or crook any national interview to defend or promote your policies if at all you have any. I mean in moving with the times, open a facebook account and encourage 'followers' to only 'like' your comments, is it really out of place to encourage him to agree to a debate so his views can have a wider audience and actually get robust assessment of his policies?


What questions? has the questions been set already? were they set in collaboration with the opposition parties?
I really wonder why you think 'those' questions are not unnecessary in a debate, if questions about security and the economy are not needed then pray tell what sort of questions would he prefer? How many kilometres they each walked to school whilst growing up?

So the reason why Johnny is not interested in a debate is to avoid answering questions about boko haram, incessant killings in Jos even with JTF deployed and the rapid depletion of the kitty in less than 4 years?

maybe all this insistence on campaigning by the other parties is part of the grand pdp death by goat /airport or other means agenda

who knows what other accidents are waiting for gej's opponents on the campaign trail?

Trust me if someone like pat utomi, donald duke or fashola is running, i will be not be here talking about goodluck so i have my own reason why i fall in line with him most times because of the other candidates.

Pharoh, try to update yourself a bit at least for purpose of this thread if not for the general election. Don't you know Pat Utomi is running?  i have been following your argument and you should know that even pro-Jonathan will be delighted to see him participate in the debate. Its not a firing squad, just debate for God's sake.

Dis Guy, i dey feel you.

gshefiu:

Pharoh, try to update yourself a bit at least for purpose of this thread if not for the general election. Don't you know Pat Utomi is running?  i have been following your argument and you should know that even pro-Jonathan will be delighted to see him participate in the debate. Its not a firing squad, just debate for God's sake.

Dis Guy, i dey feel you.

The bold print is exactly the reason why GEJ will chicken out. In his PhD brain, it'll amount to firing squad if he has to face the nation with nothing to show for his participation in governance in the last 12 years.

My brother it is indeed a firing squad for GEJ 'cos he'll be terribly exposed.

GEJ will do well in d debate, he knows his onion.

PDP as a party has failed woefully, there is nothing tangible they can point to that the party has achieved
particularly under JONATHAN. The reason why PDP will not honour the debate is simply because there is no
plan so there won't be anything to debate about.

alldone:

GEJ will do well in d debate, he knows his onion.

Hahaa, no be only onion,

THE DUDE CANT SHOW UP FOR IT COZ HE WONT WANT TO BE NAILED.remember he's not good at making on the spot respondent except making unfulfillable promises.

There is only one Presidential debate, as it was said they have to look at the one that will be very important to Ordinary Nigerians, the one on NN24 is only on cable for GOD sake, how many of you have DSTV.

GEJ can not attend the debate cos , of the following reason,

1. what is GEJ achievement as Governor of bayelsa state (4yrs)
2. what is contribution during yar adua 2yr in office
3. what is his achievement after yar adua death and till to day 11 month
4. what is PDP achievement for the past 12yrs
5. why diidnt not obey the pdp constitution /are u not power oppotunist without ecomomic programme