NAN
The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Cross River, Mr Eyo Ekpo says he will not participate in the governorship debate billed to take place Saturday.
The debate which was organised by the Cross River Town Hall Initiative was planned to take place at the Metropolitan Transcorp Hotel Calabar.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Calabar, Ekpo said that he would not participate because the organisers did not involve the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
”The organiser who is a known ally of a particular political party, has shown support for a political candidate and has unsuccessfully sought political office on the platform of a political party, I didn’t know all these until some evidence were brought to me.
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”We want to debate and we will debate, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has done something and they are inviting us, we will be there because PFN is a credible institution in the state.
”I also understand that some broadcasting organisations based in the state in collaboration with BON are putting something together for early February, so, we will go there.
”If my concerns are not addressed around impartiality, proper organisation and wider participation of other organisation, we will stay away.
”We are credible so if we are participating in a debate, I believe it should be a debate that will produce result for Cross River,” he said.
However, the Town Hall initiative convener, Chief Samuel Egba, said the initiative is an independent, non governmental, non political and non profit organization.