Presidential Candidates contesting next year’s election will have the opportunity to confront each other on how they would handle the political, security and socio-economic challenges facing the country.
The Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG), organisers of the presidential debate, at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, said the debate which begins on November 15, would focus on the nation’s economic challenges.
NEDG Executive Secretary, Mr. Eddie Emessiri, who addressed the media on Friday explained that Abuja, the nation’s capital, his organization would host the first debate on November 15. Emessiri said the debates would be brought closer to the people with Port Harcourt, Lagos and Kano, hosting the other debates.
“During these debates, the candidates will be taken closer to the electorate in the South-West, South- South, and North-West geopolitical zones. “They will discuss varying issues of national importance such as foreign relations, governance structure, national defence and security, education, information technology and health among others,” he said.
According to him, the NESG is collaborating with the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and civil society partners to cohost debates. Emessiri stated that Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, will host the second debate on December 15, while it will be the turn of Lagos on January 19, 2023, and Kano on February 16, 2023. He said the debate would seek to address the state of the economy, the concerns of the citizens to choose from among the presidential candidates and other related leadership positions. This, he added, will help the electorate have a better understanding of how the candidates were prepared to keep the country on the path to prosperity.
Emessiri said candidates who would feature in the would be selected from opinion poll results to allow public input, which he disclosed was ongoing. “The final list with the names of selected candidates and the methodology for the selection process will be announced on Nov. 8, a week before the first debate, “he said. He assured candidates of a fair platform for engagement, saying that all stakeholders would be carried along, adding that “This presidential debate on economic policy will serve as a launching pad to discuss the roadmap towards an inclusive and prosperous Nigeria.
