What does it say about Buhari, Ribadu and Shekarau that they passed up a glaring opportunity to showcase themselves and address millions of Nigerians for FREE?
In the meantime, the likes of Chris Okotie and Dele Momodu screamed themselves hoarse over the missed opprtunity (both were excluded as being too weak). In fact, Dele Momodu has gone as far as to sue; such is his degree of bitterness at missing the biggest opportunity to talk to millions of Nigerians.

What a contrast with Buhari, Ribadu and Shekarau, especially the duo of Buhari, Ribadu who instead, spent the time in meetings for the selection of a Northern consensus candidate.
What do their actions say? A few things come to mind:

[list]
[li]They lack the intelligence to rule the country, since they could choose to attend a "presidential debate" by NN24 which has ONLY about 2,500 subscribers over the BON debate that was accessible to ALL 140 million Nigerians; by radio in their cars, farms or through their mobile phones; and by TV in homes, restaurants, offices etc[/li]
[li]They have completly misplaced values and do not care about the average Nigerian whose votes they want (maybe by miracle)[/li]
[li]They are arrogant[/li]
[li]They are petty[/li]
[li]They expressed unintelligence, ineptitude and cluelessness by thinking they were punishing GEJ by snubbing 140 million Nigerians (including impressionable children)[/li]
[li]Perhaps, they have given up the fight and don't have the strength to continue (well, Buhari is an old guy)[/li]
[li]They had absolutely nothing to offer and were scared of being truanced by GEJ's intellect[/li]
[/list]

Why else would their values be so skewed. Chris Okotie is in Warri screaming his heart out, Dele Momodu is going to court; but our Buhari, Ribadu and Shekarau spat on the whole show. Values differ indeed.

Why re u complaining?, You should be singing the victory song that GEJ was in d debate stand alone(Gulder book of record 2011). The point has bn made:No president will take nigerians for a ride anymore.
Keep ur eyes open and watch the Part 2 of the film title BUHARI-BAKARE 2011.

One woulda thought an intelligent being would be beyond justifying the show of shame we have seen recently.

Again, any sane mind would agree that Buhari et al were right to boycott simply by looking at what happened to Momodu and Okotie. Therein lies the proof that one shouldnt insult himself by subjecting himself to an unfair process.

It is only a biased psychophant who sees black and calls it white.

Again, my question is: Knowing that Buhari et al wouldn't attend why did

(1.) BON not move Utomi or Dara to Wednesdays debate

(2.) Why were Momodu and Okotie barred, but not the likes of Dara? Isn't it obvious that BON were trying to ensure there was no debate, rather a monologue?

A look at these cold hard facts prove beyond reasonable doubt that the process was biased, hence only an unscrupulous individual would pillory Buhari et al for not playing against a stacked deck.

Its funny how instead of attending a debate that was accessed by 140 million people, Buhari and Ribadu were engaged in fervent lovemaking with their new found lovers, IBB, Atiku and Ciroma.

@Ibime,

you spoke my mind. I think the author of this thread, is seeking some sort of relevance for the one man show of shame we saw yesterday. Thank God some sectors of our society are begining to wake up and challenge the nonsense we call government.

Like you said, why did BON not move Utomi and co to Wednesday? Big breeze for blow and the whole country for see fowl nyash.

Trying to put colour to total failure

^^^ Watch the debates first before you write them all off!

ow11:

Seriously what is so difficult in GEJ attending a debate? That he had to attend a glorified press conference that makes him look like a buffoon.

The charade these politicians carry out is sickening as it is laughable depending on your mood.

I am still trying to recover from his response to the question of how he has been tackling or how to tackle corruption given our Transparency index being as high as it has become during the PDP years.    I mean  . . ,  I cried when after reading that, for lack of a better word,insult   . . . . 

How a sitting president who has his pulse on Nigeria could give such a primary school response to a problem that continues to rob over 100 million of a better life. . . . you cry!

Leave beaf alone please. He's just pisse.d because he knows its over. His boy has been played like the proverbial fiddle and he's seen the writing on the wall.

I told ya'll PDP is now a regional party. Have fun playing opposition for the next 60 years, buddy.

Ibime:

Anything that enlivens your miserable existence dude!

See as dis one de vex like vandalised oil pipe!
Is it because I rightly accused you guy's of playing the victim card, cos Buhari shot himself in the foot? Contrast his behaviour with Chris Okotie and Dele Momodu and the chasm in values is VAST.

Buhari and his type have played Nigerians like dice in a cheap game for far too long, thank God this time they are tripping themselves up at every turn. Why would a so called statesman snub the Nigerian public for petty reasons? You have to question his powers of judgement. No?

Why would a man present himself for a debate on an unknown cable TV station with ONLY 2,500 subscribers (NN24), but absent himself from a free audience with 140 million Nigerians? It boggles the imagination!

Buhari and ribadu like there followers are clueless they don't have anything to offer.the buhari people here blabbing what happened to ur sahara report of licked question to GEJ let me refresh ur weak memories
As further evidence that next month’s elections are unlikely to be free and fair, SaharaReporters has obtained a document which shows that the media group which is organizing today’s debate did prepare advance questions for President Goodluck Jonathan at least a week ago.
  It is the equivalent of one student receiving the exam test papers in his own home while the others sweat in libraries and study rooms.
Although the event is supposed to treat all the debate participants equally, the questions prepared by the media group for President Jonathan demonstrate that the group is biased in his favour.  This was one of the reasons given last week by three of the leading contenders who pulled out of today’s debate, but the charge was denied by the so-called “media group.
The targeting and phraseology employed in the questions also show a tendency not to challenge President Jonathan, but to help him formulate favourable responses. On the PDP’s zoning quagmire, for instance, he is merely asked such a penalty-spot question as whether he does not carry a moral burden.   On the question of transformation, he is lobbed another “Help Yourself” question: “What are you really saying to Nigerians?”
On the vexed question of infrastructure, the media group says, “The complex of infrastructure in Nigeria is allegedly notoriously inefficient, inadequate, underdeveloped, derelict and neglected,” but again points to the penalty spot, “Its (sic) all the noise about power not just a hype?”
In addition to the questions submitted by the media group, the document also shows government functionaries feverishly trying to help Jonathan pass the test, with both questions and suggested answers carefully laid out for him.  An e-mail dated 25 March from Kassey Garba, the Chief Economic Adviser to the President to Professor Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah, the Minister for Agriculture, covers Questions 23 & 24, supposedly for that Ministry.  Since the questions from the media group are numbered 1-16, this suggests that Questions 17-22 were expected from other government bodies.
The emergence of this document will provide further worry to many Nigerians and the international community that although Jonathan has repeatedly said he wishes to see elections that are free and fair, he is desperately trying to employ short cuts to ensure his victory.  On December 25, SaharaReporters reported the presence of a rigging manual that had been prepared by the Jonathan Campaign.
The television debate advisory by the media group is particularly worrying because the group is supposed to be a professional one and has asked to be seen as such.
“This is a terrible tragedy,” said a political analyst in Abuja this afternoon.
“This is a sad day for both the media and this government.   It is the old story of power being desperately sought by every desperate measure.  This is a terrible tragedy.”
Full text of the document:
Questions submitted by the media group

1.    Your emergence as PDP presidential candidate was mired in controversy as a result of the conflicting interpretations of your party’s zoning and rotation principles: do you not carry a moral burden?


2.    When you talk of “transformation” what are you really saying to Nigerians?



3.    The Nigerian economy seems to be in the grip of an unending crisis, characterized by a poor growth rate, low capacity utilization, unimpressive direct foreign investments, bank failures and now a rapidly weakening naira. Is the situation redeemable?


4.    The complex of infrastructure in Nigeria is allegedly notoriously inefficient, inadequate, underdeveloped, derelict and neglected. Its all the noise about power not just hype?



5.    What is your programme for taking the Nigerian Railways, roads, marine and air transportation into the 21st century?


6.    Employment is one area of crisis. 80% of Nigerian school leavers/graduates do not get jobs for years after graduation. What will your government do to cure this dangerous scourge?



7.    With Boko Haram in Bauchi and Borno States, endless killings in Jos, bombings everywhere, kidnappings in the South-East and armed robbers operating with impunity everywhere. Could it not be said that your Government has lost grip of the management of security in the country?


8.    Has your Government abandoned the fight against corruption in Nigeria? All the former Governors indicted since 2007 are sitting in the Senate, seeking re-election and playing active roles in the current electoral dispensation!



9.    Is the lackadaisical way the reform agenda in the petroleum sector has been handled not symptomatic of your approach to governance? Why has the Petroleum Industry Bill been so shabbily treated?


10.    Please, give us an insight into how you intend to tackle the rot in the education and health sectors.



11.    Are you satisfied with the outputs and growth rate in the agricultural sector? If not, give us an insight into your programme for the sector?
  

12.    Your foreign policy seems to be defined by the contradiction between declaration and action on the election crisis in the Ivory Coast. Do you really have a coherent Foreign Policy?



13.    Is your corruption fight not compromised by the alleged involvement of your wife in money-laundering and what is seen as your own indictment by the Code of Conduct Bureau?

14.    Your wife is already exciting women about getting 35% of public offices under your Government, if you are elected. Are you really serious about fulfilling this promise?



15.    With hindsight, do you approve of your handling of the bombing incident at the Eagle square on 1st October 2010?


16.    Are you confident that your strategy for peace and development in the Niger delta is working?


Agriculture


•    Question 23: 
It has been argued that government subsidies on agriculture and other products have not achieved the desired goals, what is your view on this?
Why is Nigeria spending so much on food importation despite the abundance of resources?
Subsidy is not getting to the farmers

Answer:

•    This is because we have not embarked on developing the full value chain for our agricultural products and not paid enough attention to reducing post-harvest losses. Once this is done, food importation will reduce.
•    As a developing country, subsidy is still very important if we are to achieve the desired growth. Even developed countries have one form of subsidy or the other.

•    Government will continue to subsidize agriculture but with better management approach to its administration. The Fertilizer voucher scheme which we have piloted in partnership with private sector since 2009 appears to be working well. We shall use it to reach the desired target population that needs the subsidy.
-Between 2007 and 2009 a total of 1.23 million metric tons of fertilizer were procured and distributed at a total subsidy cost of N29.16 billion. In 2010 alone, 900,000metric tons were procured for distribution at a cost of N89.31billion with total subsidy of N22.30 billion.)

♣    There have been a lot of investments in irrigation, (HMIC) in addition to fertilizer supplies, GMP support for farmers, 


Question 24: 
What will be your government’s programme for agricultural transformation in the country?
Answer:
Agriculture is an important sector of Nigeria economy; employ over 75 % of the population; contribute 41% to GDP and accounted for 30% of the growth in the non- oil output
Creating of enabling policy environment and provision of essential infrastructure that will boost the productivity and output of smallholders and large scale producers. Areas of focus of my government will include;

•    provision of  improved seed and other farm inputs at subsidized rate 
o    ( 25 % subsidy level on fertilizer) with emphasis on expanding the new fertilizer voucher scheme subsidy model; one-stop shop agro- input centres,

•    agricultural financing / Credit facilities  to boost agric value chains 
o    ( N200billion Commercial Agric Credit scheme, N100billion Textile and cotton  fund, Revitalization of Bank of Agriculture)
•    Increase irrigation facilities and dams across the country  to support dual season production 
o    cover 200,000 ha of irrigated farm land from the present 40,000ha.

•    attracting private investment into agriculture through Public-private partnership in all the agriculture value chain process,

•    Facilitate agriculture value chain process to reduce post harvest waste and market for producers ( establishment of agricultural value chain infrastructures:- two  fish processing estate, five  integrated livestock processing centre; eighteen agro-industrial estates; nine farmers’ markets

•    Development of strategic food reserve to ensure national food security, stabilize food prices and guarantee producers’ farm income. ( increase reserve from current 300,000 metric tons to 1.3million . In addition to current 14 silos that are operational , 20 more are at various stages of completion across the country.
•    In my transformation plan, opening up the rural roads is a top priority so that agricultural products can be moved to the consuming areas.



From: Abdul and Kassey Garba <kagarba@yahoo.com>

Subject: Q & A
To: profsheikh@yahoo.com

Sheikh Abdullah
Date: Friday, March 25, 2011, 3:20 AM


Dear Honorable Minister,

 
Compliments!
 
As discussed at the meeting yesterday, I am sending you the proposed questions and suggested answers in preparation for the presidential debate as it relates to your Ministry / sector.
 

You are kindly requested to review the suggested answers and provide alternative answers as may be necessary, preferably less than half a page.
 
Please note that the 'questions submitted by the media group' are included for your information only.
 
I will be grateful if you could make your contribution available by 2pm please.
This is because the final document must get to His Excellency by 3pm today.
 
Stay blessed.
 

Kassey Garba

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/tv-debate-media-group-sends-president-jo

Before u come here to defend the clueless duo answer this question was any of ur propoganda question claimed given to GEJ was it asked during the cos of the debate yesterday ? What about the answers did u hear any? U should hide urselfs in shame!!.buhari and ribadu were lucky they didn't turn up the nigerian masses would have seen how clueless they are they knew they can't face the Nigerian masses judging from there NN24 disgraceful outing.a 70yr old coupist that was part of the government of the most corrupt regime in the history of nigeria that is clueless cannot rule us again also a confused corrupt crusader who said tinubu is the most corrupt politician in nigeria today tinubu is his godfather, now they are mixing up with like of ibb,atiku,ciroma and other PDP thiefs who are about to be thrown out of the party.I ask nigerians is this the change they want to bring?

PANEL:Globally debates during elections have been used to strengthen the democratic culture in the society. Recently, there is this controversy that you did not accept debate invitations to one or three debates where your political contemporaries were also invited. This evening your three other fellow presidential candidates are not participating with you. As PDP presidential candidate, what is your disposition towards debates in Nigeria?


GEJ: The PDP as a party believes that all political office holders at all levels should give account of themselves as people and give account of the government they head. And that is why even in 2003, the PDP presidential candidate even though he was a sitting president participated in the debate. In 2007, I was a vice presidential candidate and I participated in the debate. That is the PDP position. This time around, even in my opening statement, I did mention that I was ready for the debate. Probably you people can organize another debate because some of the stories I read in the papers that Mr. President didn’t come because he wanted questions to be leaked out to him. Rearrange the debate, let candidates ask themselves questions. So that nobody would come with spurious stories to deceive Nigerians. What happened was maybe a communication gap. More than 12 bodies indicated interest and got to us that they want to host presidential debate and as a sitting president, I don’t have the luxury and even the other presidential candidates; I believe they don’t have the luxury to appear in 12 or more different debates. And we are told that there is a body, and of course this is a body, the Nigerian Election Debate Group that normally co-ordinates presidential debates. Did I refuse your invitation? I did not refuse your invitation. I was told that the medium, that the reach out was not that big, that very few Nigerians will listen to that and that it’s better for us to use the medium that everybody, even those who have radio alone will listen to this presidential debate and I was waiting because I was told that it was to come up on March 29 and I was waiting for that March 29. Some of the journalists that I met with can remember that we met in Lagos tied with the operators of media houses and later on editors and I told them that I wanted to address international press conference but before that international press conference, I need to meet with them at that level but this debate came up and we now said okay, let us finish with the debate before the international press conference. So, it’s not as if the PDP government ran away from debate. It’s a communication gap but I would advise that this time around, maybe in 2015, the Nigerian Election Debate Group should take charge from beginning, immediately parties are going on with their primaries, announce this so that all the parties, all the presidential candidates should know that this is the authentic body that should organise debates.

Even the questions asked were just . . . . what the heck??

Pataki:

Only a dumb clueless goat will call that charade of yesterday a DEBATE.

Even opinion polls across various online Nigerian forums shows that the President was utterly clueless.

Oh well, that equally expresses the mind of the OP here - dumb and clueless.

Birds of a feather. . . . . .they say

Na wa! Is it GEJ/Sambo supporters fault that Buhari shot himself in the foot? Damn!
I posted this on the debate thread, buts apt here too. LOL!

Beaf: [size=14pt]LO! I've just been lurking in the background, having a good laugh throughout the thread. In the beginning it was just anti-GEJ people laughing at their usual rude jokes and engaging in their usual loud and tasteless name calling.
As the debate proceeded, they got progressively quieter, and a couple of them even hailed GEJ.

. . .But by the end of the debate, the diehards were taking their defeat in a very sore way. They swung their filthy words away from GEJ, and hauled them squarely at all Nigerians instead!
The most hilarious point came when two of them revealed their absolute lack of love or concern for the country. Ibime thanked God he has a British passport and Donlittle thanked God he had residency papers (for God knows where). I am 100% sure we can see Buhari's reaction in these class of supporters. Hilarious!!!  [/size]

Sour grapes, its called!

Some people are trying to draw legitimacy from the nonsense we saw yesterday

monkeyleg:

Some people are trying to draw legitimacy from the nonsense we saw yesterday

Oh, you watched it?!
. . .So did 139,999,999 other Nigerians that Buhari snubbed. Funny World init?

Kobojunkie:

^^^ Watch the debates first before you right them all off!

I am still trying to recover from his response to the question of how he has been tackling or how to tackle corruption given our Transparency index being as high as it has become during the PDP years.    I mean  . . ,  I cried when after reading that, for lack of a better word,insult   . . . . 

How a sitting president who has his pulse on Nigeria could give such a primary school response to a problem that continues to rob over 100 million of a better life. . . . you cry!

The guy obviously doesn't know how to solve Nigeria's problems or is unwilling to do so. My haunch is the former. His answers to the Q&A session are the types of answers you get at newspaper stands from FRA members. This is NOT a man that should be allowed to rule for 4 more years. His choice of aides also leaves a lot to be desired.

I just believe he is working with his emotions here and access to ridiculous amounts of money in the treasury than the ability to actually steer Nigeria properly. I would mind this dude in a military regime but in a democracy, presenting this guy and actually voting or him is endorsing mediocrity and in my opinion, WRONG!

Reading the comments again saddens me as this is supposed to come from someone that wrote a >10,000-word thesis in 1995 to get a bloody Phd!

Beaf:

Oh, you watched it?!
. . .So did 139,999,999 other Nigerians that Buhari snubbed. Funny World init?

Is it the money or the se*x that GEJ blesses you with that makes you utter all the bullshiyyt u stay spitting on here.

Even, as we've all concluded that u (most likely) have some sorta se*xual relations with GEJ, dont you also have a wife/galfriend to attend to (word on the street is that ure Bi)? You talked about having a female in your life, why dont you pay attention to her and leave NL alone; even if for a day? Or r u hoping that if GEJ wins he'll run "Madam Umblerra " from the Presidential mansion and move you in as the "First Man"?

Dude, get a life, your beyond annoying! Youre one of the main reasons I've stopped coming on NairaLand. . . . . .

its now "why didn't BON invite Momodu and Pat Utomi when they knew the others won't show up"---- why didn't NN24 invite Pat Utomi when they knew GEJ wasn't gonna show up ?, the same yardstick used in hanging BON should be used on NN24, why not invite everyone, last i checked BON gave more room for the opposition than NN24.

If the opposition had shown up I believe GEJ would have also upped his game on stage, and it would have been something good for Nigerians, but boycotting the one organized by BON for some flimsy excuse of he didn't attend the earlier one, just shows how inept and petty the opposition really are, all at the expense of the populace they claim to wanna emancipate from PDP.

Chinekeeee! See Beaf the spin shit and dey thing dey hit fan.

Why una the humiliate this my USB-supported Beaf?

Oya Beaf change your IP, login with another username and bash me. Yeye the smell (Fresh hair!)

babasoty:

its now "why didn't BON invite Momodu and Pat Utomi when they knew the others won't show up"---- why didn't NN24 invite Pat Utomi when they knew GEJ wasn't gonna show up ?, the same yardstick used in hanging BON should be used on NN24, why not invite everyone, last i checked BON gave more room for the opposition than NN24.

Dude, I know you didn't learn this kind of logical reasoning in FGGC Abuloma Primary school!!!

NN24 had a debate. There were 3 people debating

BON had no debate, therefore they should have moved someone to Wednesday to make it a debate.

Your comparison is utterly baseless.


@ ow11,

Tobra, How tings be for your side?

Dude, I know you didn't learn this kind of logical reasoning in FGGC Abuloma Primary school!!!

NN24 had a debate. There were 3 people debating

BON had no debate, therefore they should have moved someone to Wednesday to make it a debate.

Your comparison is utterly baseless.


@ ow11,

Tobra, How tings be for your side?

Himbre u know say SSA produce the finest and 1990 set be the best of the pack---- abeg no vex try bring out any link wey show say BON guys receive any official correspondence from the others say them no go show for the debate, they were invited courtesy demands if they were gonna reject it, they do it well by replying the folks of BON that they weren't gonna attend not publish it on saharareporters, is it SR that invited them. The guys at BON didn't receive any official response from them that's why they still had their spaces out there---- NN24 wanted four and 3 appeared what stops them from moving someone to still make it 4---- what's good for the goose is also good for the gander bro---- I believe say Mrs Sackey and her crew teach you that shebi.

babasoty:

its now "why didn't BON invite Momodu and Pat Utomi when they knew the others won't show up"---- why didn't NN24 invite Pat Utomi when they knew GEJ wasn't gonna show up ?, the same yardstick used in hanging BON should be used on NN24, why not invite everyone, last i checked BON gave more room for the opposition than NN24.

If the opposition had shown up I believe GEJ would have also upped his game on stage, and it would have been something good for Nigerians, but boycotting the one organized by BON for some flimsy excuse of he didn't attend the earlier one, just shows how inept and petty the opposition really are, all at the expense of the populace they claim to wanna emancipate from PDP.

Goalposts seem to move a lot these days.

This is a product of th 1990 school? Our education system was really messed up long!

Kobojunkie:

This is a product of the 1990 school? Our education system was really messed up long!

Nah, Babasoty missed a lot of classes when they were teaching logical reasoning. MY older cousin broke his arm in class, hence he missed a lot of school days, explaining the gap in his reasoning ability!

See all these PH boys showing theirself! Babasoty was playing pen fight in the back seat during classes

GEJ's reason for missing the NN24 debate is r'etarded. Did he not give CNN an interview without considering the reach? Did he give interviews with NTA or any private stations before allowing Isha Sesay to bully him?

All of a sudden, DSTV is elite!

Abeg, the other 3 were only expressing their displeasure at his contempt and protested. BON should have still held a debate as there are 14 other contestants instead they did an interview which the C-in-C performed poorly if I am to judge. AT least NN24 HAD a debate.

@Ibime

Ibim o. . .Gberiye so pa kaa,  Nde Bekin ama?

See all these PH boys showing theirself! Babasoty was playing pen fight in the back seat during classes

ya be e wolo ma ooo---- na me and you dey play for back seat
So na you phc guy dey go follow Buhari---- ok we go ban you for phc.----- I go call the squad for you----
nda loku.

Nah, Babasoty missed a lot of classes when they were teaching logical reasoning. MY older cousin broke his arm in class, hence he missed a lot of school days, explaining the gap in his reasoning ability!

himbre ask ur bro--- na me dey carry first every term---- make the hatred for GEJ no becloud your reasoning ability.----- GEJ all d way, i no golike make u miss out on the goodies when we go dey laff wella after april 11.

This is a product of th 1990 school? Our education system was really messed up long!

Abeg go siddon for corner jor--- when people wey go better school dey yan no be person wey go community primary school ijebu ekiti.--- no allow me expose how many times you fail jamb before ur aunty for US vex carry you go yankee wey make u dey form americana---