The absence of the two main presidential candidates in Nigeria at the just concluded presidential debate has reignited the discourse on compulsory debates for candidates seeking elective offices.
This comes as analysts have called for a legislation that seeks to legalise debates for presidential, governorship and National Assembly candidates.
They argued that this would not only deepen the nation’s democratic practice but also allow voters to make informed choices during elections.
Findings by BDSUNDAY revealed that a bill that seeks to give legal backing to the establishment of a commission that would be saddled with organising debates for candidates seeking elective offices, has been stalled in the Senate.
Titled ‘Nigerian Political Debates Commission Bill, 2015’ and sponsored by Abdulfatai Buhari (APC, Oyo), the Joint Committee on Establishment and Public Service and INEC had conducted public hearing on the bill in May 2017.
BDSUNDAY reports that at the event, stakeholders in the electoral process vehemently opposed the idea of setting up the commission, which they described as unnecessary burden on the nation’s resources.
INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu had said although the election debate platform was a welcome development for the deepening of democratic practice, the platform for such debate should be independent and not a commission that would be funded by government.
“To us in INEC, such a platform should be allowed to remain in form of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that would be funded by corporate bodies in the land and managed by independent and non-partisan Nigerians with outstanding character and repute,” Yakubu had said.
The President of the Nigeria Political Science Association, Sam Egwu, a Professor, also backed the position of the INEC chairman.
A highly placed source in the Committee on Establishment told our correspondent that the panel was overwhelmed by the rejection of the bill by stakeholders.
This, he explained, is responsible for the long delay in submitting the report.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also revealed that “Members of the joint committee are divided on the sources of funding the proposed commission. While some were in favour of government funding, others believe this would cause undue interference. As it stands, the committee is at a dead end”.
It would be recalled that the two major presidential candidates, President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had shunned the January 19 presidential debate organised by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group in collaboration with the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON).
While Buhari said he couldn’t show up at the event because he was engaged in campaigns, Atiku who had earlier arrived the venue of the exercise, left following Buhari’s absence.
But some Nigerians took to the social media to condemn the action of the two candidates, saying that they were grossly disappointed by their failure to participate in the debate to marshal out how they intend to make the country better.
In an interview with BDSUNDAY, Clement Nwankwo, Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), said such legislation would enable the Nigerian electorate vote for the best candidates at various elections.
“I think that candidates seeking people’s votes should be in a compulsion to engage in publicly organised debates. And the importance of an institution that organises that is very important. So, we will support an agency being created to coordinate debates among candidates for elections.
“That would provide an opportunity for citizens to assess the candidates and help inform their choices.
“It also makes persons seeking for elections accountable and show their inclinations and what they represent so that people can make informed decisions and choices,” he said.
On the argument that such a body should not be funded by government, Nwankwo who also doubles as the Convener of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, said: “It could be an independent debating commission which means that its funding is outlined and has some imprimatur or support from legislation”.
On her part, Esther Uzoma, National Coordinator, Proactive Gender Initiative, also backed the position of Nwankwo.
“I will support any such bill that proposes compulsory appearance of political candidates. Because what debates do is that they first of all give us an insight into the minds of the people who want to run the affairs of state. When questions are answered, not so much as a yes or no response, but how they tackle such questions, also help the voters to make up their mind,” Uzoma told our correspondent.
On whether Nigerian voters are swayed by debates, the legal practitioner said: “Of course, debates sway the voters. That is why advertisements work. They will be talking about the same thing over and over again. People change their mind based on what they hear”.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
