From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Obi-Datti campaign organisation on Monday condemned the failure of some presidential candidates to appear at the town hall meeting organised for those vying for the position of president of Nigeria come 2023.
Arise Television and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) at the weekend, organised a debate for the presidential candidates.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, Ahmed Tinubu, was missing, while the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was represented by his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
The campaign team described the act as a show of arrogance and total disregard for other electorates as well as the Nigerian public which the candidates wish to lead.
The campaign team further disclosed that going forward, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi will no longer grace debates where other presidential candidates are missing or represented.
Its Director General, Dr Doyin Okupe, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, explained that the decision was consistent with the party and its candidates’ mantra for a better and saner Nigeria where things are done the right way.
According to him, “I have called you this afternoon to speak on a growing trend of irresponsibility, arrogance and disregard for the electorate, which has now gone beyond coincidence and is at risk of becoming the norm.
“On Monday 22nd August 2022 the Nigerian Bar Association invited the leading Presidential candidates to address her Annual Bar Conference and the Nigerian people at this epic occasion, the presidential candidate of the APC sent his vice presidential candidate to represent him.
“Again, on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 13th and 14th 2022, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry invited the major presidential candidates to interact with them and the Nigerian people, on their economic and general policy initiatives as a prelude to the presidential elections.
“While His Excellency Mr Peter Obi, and other invited candidates appeared in person, the presidential candidate of the APC sent his vice presidential candidate, to represent him.
“Once Again, yesterday the 6th of November 2022, at the First AriseTV Town Hall Meeting, in contradiction to the understanding reached with the organisers, about allowing only presidential candidates to attend the event, the vice presidential candidate of the PDP was allowed to represent his presidential candidate.
“This sparked a protest and rowdy situation by supporters of the other Presidential candidates present.
“The Labour Party presidential candidate His Excellency Mr Peter Obi, and the Presidential Campaign Organisation totally condemns this disregard for the electorate and the people, by these absentee presidential candidates.
“The decision to present oneself as a presidential candidate does not start and end with the purchase, submission of forms and certification as a candidate by INEC.
“It also forebodes on the candidate a high degree of responsibility to present himself for open discussions and explanations on his policies, visions and plans for the people to enable a better understanding and engender an appropriate choice by the electorate in the coming elections.
“It is our firm conviction, that anything short of the simple, transparent and honest adherence to this basic contract of responsibility, falls short of the standards of fair contest and engagement and can only be interpreted as mischievous evasion of the desired interface with the people.
“These candidates who have assumed the position of emperors and rulers, and not responsible politicians, who are willing to serve and listen to the people, place their position of trust in critical jeopardy by their high horse of arrogance and non-accountability.
“To add insult to injury, yesterday at the Arise Tv Town Hall Meeting, the vice presidential candidate who purported to represent his presidential candidate sought to explain his presence under the obnoxious pretext that the ‘Presidency is one.’
This is a blatant lie and to say the least, a deceptive attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians.
“This primary duty of care and response cannot be relegated, delegated or avoided, as a matter of deception or evasion, as it encompasses the right of the people to full and total knowledge of what the candidate has in stock for them.
“With every respect to the office of the vice presidential candidate, this is a duty reserved for the person of each and every presidential candidate.
“We firmly and irrevocably call on the Nigerian people, in entirety, to reject any presidential candidate that habitually and deceptively treats the rights of the people to hear directly from him, with disrespect, dishonour and ignominy.
“Finally, Let us make it clear today, that these recurring acts will no longer be acceptable to the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Organisation.
“While our candidates Mr Peter Obi and our vice presidential candidate Dr Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, are prepared at all times to engage other candidates, and the Nigerian people, in any duly scheduled debates, town hall meetings and any other appearances as designated and scheduled. this election season, they will only be prepared to mount the podium, with their peers in this presidential race, and not with any surrogates or diversionary delegated representation.
“This stand is taken with the utmost respect for the rights and desires of Nigerians to full and direct information, and first-hand responses and presentations, necessary for the best assessment of worthiness, capacity, capability, competence, character, integrity and disposition, as required to make the right choice in these coming elections.”