Last Presidential debate holds in Nigeria

Presidential debate ends in Nigeria
Uche Aneke, Abuja

The 2011 presidential debate organized by the Nigerian Election Debate Group (NEDG) came to a close on Wednesday with a pledge by President Goodluck Jonathan to promote unity and bring hope to all Nigerians if he is re-elected.

He made this promise while answering questions during the third and final day of the Presidential debate which took place in Abuja.

Debate boycott

Jonathan, who was the only participant in the NEDG-organised debate, explained that he was not present at an earlier debate organized by a private media organization, NN24, partly because the medium used was of limited reach. He refuted the notion that the People’s Democratic Party’s candidates were boycotting debates.

The candidates of the major opposition parties; Nuhu Ribadu of the ACN, Ibrahim Shekarau of the ANPP and Muhammadu Buhari of the CPC, boycotted the debate in retaliation.

The president said if elected as the next President of Nigeria in the April 9 Presidential election, he would encourage every hardworking, committed and disciplined Nigerian to aspire to any position in the country.

Ensuring transparency

The candidate of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party promised to run a transparent system of government in which nobody would be discriminated against.

He said he would not interfere with the operations of the anti corruption agencies but would rather concentrate efforts on stimulating the country’s economy and encouraging private sector participation to enhance employment generation.

Plans

Other plans outlined by the president include commercializing agriculture to attract young graduates into the sector, improving education infrastructure, ensuring equitable distribution of the nation’s resources, and enhancing women participation in governance through appointments into challenging positions.

In his closing statement, President Jonathan said that his re-election would bring transformation to Nigeria by ensuring a stable economy, improved education, harnessing every potentials in the country and in the Diaspora, and through a free and fair election, in which the vote of every Nigerian counts.

“God willing we will all push Nigeria from an ordinary country to an extra-ordinary country that will play big globally,” he said.

The debate was rounded off with the presentation of a certificate of participation to Dr Jonathan by the Chairman of the NEDG, Chief Taiwo Allimi and Mallam Abubakar Jijiwa, Chairman Board of Trustees of the debate group and Director General, Voice of Nigeria.

Williams/Ekata