Making the disclosure moments ago during Monday’s edition of
Channels’ TV Sunrise Daily was the director of media and communication
of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Dele Alake.
According to Alake, Buhari decided to withdraw from the debate because the opposition party had intelligence reports which suggest that the organisers of the debate are partisan in nature and pro-PDP. The Channels TV presidential debate was initially scheduled for February 3, 2015, Tuesday, at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel
, Abuja.
The debate was expected to serve as an alternative to an earlier debate conducted by the Nigeria Election Debate Group, which was rejected by Gen Buhari.
The explanation was conveyed on Friday by the Buhari Support
Organisation, the umbrella body of all support groups campaigning for
the 2015 February 14 presidential election.
The organisation’s spokesman, Dr Chidia Maduekwe, further pointed out that if the Nigerian military with its integrity could be framed into the controversy surrounding Buhari’s secondary school certificate, it means anything can be done by the ruling PDP to rubbish the APC presidential candidate.
He said it is their duty, therefore, to be vigilant always and refuse to offer a platform for the PDP to achieve their mischievous plans.
Below is the statement:
“The Buhari Support Organisation wishes to underscore our candidate’s decision not to be hoodwinked into participating in the sham debates promoted by Mr. Sola Omole of NTA and some other pro-Jonathan individuals from African Independent Television.
“A cursory look at the composition of the panel reveals that it includes the likes of Mr. Mike Omeri, a Director – General of the National Orientation Agency and a close associate of the last Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, who was a major financier of Jonathan’s election bid in 2011 and Ms Sally Mbanefo, the DG of Nigeria Tourism Board.
“With such composition, the NEDG is certainly tinted and cannot be seen to organise a credible debate. In a severely corrupted third world nation, one cannot reasonably expect a political appointee to organise a fair debate that could result in an electoral loss for his employer.
“The other principal promoters from NTA and AIT represent the two electronic organisations that have made no secret of their unalloyed support for President Jonathan’s re-election bid. These television stations are presently the overt campaign vehicle for the PDP presidential candidate.
“The recent hate documentary that ran for several days on AIT is a pointer to the extent that Jonathan handlers are prepared to just rubbish the hard earned integrity of Gen. Buhari. We recall that in 2011, it was alleged that one of the President’s Chief Economic advisers obtained questions in advance and forwarded them to Mr. President’s ministers for answers.”
According to Alake, Buhari decided to withdraw from the debate because the opposition party had intelligence reports which suggest that the organisers of the debate are partisan in nature and pro-PDP. The Channels TV presidential debate was initially scheduled for February 3, 2015, Tuesday, at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel
, Abuja.The debate was expected to serve as an alternative to an earlier debate conducted by the Nigeria Election Debate Group, which was rejected by Gen Buhari.
The organisation’s spokesman, Dr Chidia Maduekwe, further pointed out that if the Nigerian military with its integrity could be framed into the controversy surrounding Buhari’s secondary school certificate, it means anything can be done by the ruling PDP to rubbish the APC presidential candidate.
He said it is their duty, therefore, to be vigilant always and refuse to offer a platform for the PDP to achieve their mischievous plans.
Below is the statement:
“The Buhari Support Organisation wishes to underscore our candidate’s decision not to be hoodwinked into participating in the sham debates promoted by Mr. Sola Omole of NTA and some other pro-Jonathan individuals from African Independent Television.
“A cursory look at the composition of the panel reveals that it includes the likes of Mr. Mike Omeri, a Director – General of the National Orientation Agency and a close associate of the last Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, who was a major financier of Jonathan’s election bid in 2011 and Ms Sally Mbanefo, the DG of Nigeria Tourism Board.
“With such composition, the NEDG is certainly tinted and cannot be seen to organise a credible debate. In a severely corrupted third world nation, one cannot reasonably expect a political appointee to organise a fair debate that could result in an electoral loss for his employer.
“The other principal promoters from NTA and AIT represent the two electronic organisations that have made no secret of their unalloyed support for President Jonathan’s re-election bid. These television stations are presently the overt campaign vehicle for the PDP presidential candidate.
“The recent hate documentary that ran for several days on AIT is a pointer to the extent that Jonathan handlers are prepared to just rubbish the hard earned integrity of Gen. Buhari. We recall that in 2011, it was alleged that one of the President’s Chief Economic advisers obtained questions in advance and forwarded them to Mr. President’s ministers for answers.”
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