Ribadu, Buhari And Shekarau Pull Out Of BON TV Presidential Debate. | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Thursday 24 March 2011

Ribadu, Buhari And Shekarau Pull Out Of BON TV Presidential Debate.

 
Three presidential candidates have pulled out of a televised debate scheduled for March 29 2011 according to a press statement signed by spokespersons of the campaign organizations of Shekarau for Nigeria, Buhari Campaign Organization and Ribadu Presidential Campaign Team.

The press statement after the cut...


Our Position On President Jonathan’s Refusal To Participate In The Presidential Debate Organised By Nn24
We the spokespersons of the Presidential Candidate of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP); the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) wish to clear the air on the matter of the presidential debate organised by NN24 so that our teeming supporters and Nigerians in general will understand and appreciate our position.

We had held series of clear-the-air meetings under the auspices of the organisers at which logical and other arrangements for the debate were exhaustively discussed.
The representative of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Dr. Doyin Okupe, was in attendance and actively participated in all deliberations.

It was at Dr. Okupe’s instance that the two dates earlier proffered by the organisers; March 8th and 15th  as contained in the memorandum of understanding signed by the three candidates were rejected because according to him, those dates were not convenient for his candidate. Dr. Okupe, on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan, suggested the March 18th date in which the debate was successfully held.

All of us accepted this date not because it was convenient for our Principals, but as our sacrifice to afford Nigerian voters an opportunity to assess and judge the candidates’ programmes as well as personality under the spotlight.
For emphasis, we had to adjust our respective campaign time tables at great logistics costs to us as our sacrifices for the growth of the culture of debate as an essential ingredient of the open society.

We indeed bent backwards for the office of the President even when we are fully aware that the occupant is no more than a co-contestant in the context at it were.


But the there is a limit to which we can subject ourselves to this sheer impunity of the ruling party which they have flunked on our faces as a people in the last 12 years. The PDP has a record of shunning every Presidential debate since 1999.


We are highly suspicious of the celebrated romance with the BON debate by the president Jonathan’s camp which shunned the NN24 debate without an apology. We can only hazard that since most of the agencies organizing the BON debate are government parastatals, the organizers may not be in a position to resist the request for advance questions being given to the debates in which the NN24 agreed with us because they were independent. This does not mean that the men and women running these agencies lack integrity but the awe some power of the presidency may be too much for them.

Our principals being men of dignity with high regard for the people of Nigeria will not be part of such orchestrated charade of a D'Banj's “kokolete” debate.

Like millions of other Nigerians, we consider this behaviour  of the president as egotistical, condescending and unbecoming of a man seeking a mandate to govern Nigeria. Leadership entails humility and respect for others.
A situation where the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation deliberately set out to humiliate other Presidential Candidates by reneging on an agreement it proposed is unacceptable to us and the millions of our supporters.
Consequently, we state without ambiguity that our principals will not honour any debate session with president Goodluck Jonathan in the 2011 elections as he has arrogantly shunned the credible debate for which we made ourselves available.


Future presidents of Nigeria will have to be more careful in dealing with the feelings of others.

Source: Sahara Reporters...

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Abegi ake we hear word!
Ok does 2 wrongs make it right?
and who is being egoistic now?
SMH
Youre all birds of the same feather
you are meant to serve the Nigerian people,
but your actions dont show that of a servant but MASTERS.
"MASTERS OF DECEIT AND MIND GAMES" with the Nigerian people
obviously you guys dont think you are to serve otherwise you wont pull out of the debate and cause more drama and confusion than we have on ground already.
Lets move on people the foolish PDP has agreed to a debate and now you guys are pulling this whats up with that?

Anonymous said...

Good! It's called 'tit for tat' baby.

Anonymous said...

"dead bodi get accident, yepa! Double wahala for dead body and the owner of deadi bodi" (RIP FELA). Oya, drama don start. We are waiting for the sequel... I still dey laugh!!!

Chilling said...

If they can come together and form one massive opposition party, it may go a long way in giving PDP a run for their money. Let the games continue.......

Anonymous said...

Very predictable of them! They should tell the public the truth why Jonathan didn't come to the debate and stop painting him for what he is not! Egoistic and Goodluck Jonathan does not go together. Goodluck did not refuse the debate! he only said he would attend one debate and it should be the one that will reach many more people than the one aired last week.

Someone pointed out something that struck a nerve. All these 3 presidential candidates are northerners! for the past 40plus years since independence Majority of past presidents have been northerners! What have they done for Nigeria as a whole besides enriching their own region? Obasanjo was the one president that made some obvious change to Nigeria as a whole! Goodluck has been president for less than 1 year and una no want pesin hear word! all these years that other people came, looted and vanished! Research your history before you act and stop following the bandwagon!
He is not aggressive enough abi? all the other TESTOSTERONE BUSTING ex-presidents? what did that help them achieve? But instead they killed and buried the country even deeper in misery!

"Nigerians in politics are like damaged women in relationships! Always gravitating towards the ones that will cause us more heartache"

As for me, Goodluck Jonathan is the man i am voting for. I will take the chance of seeing someone different, unlike the past majority ex presidents. I believe Nigeria will be a better place under his cabinet. If fashola was running for presidency, i might struggle between the two. Since he is not? GOODLUCK JONATHAN FOR PRESIDENT!

Anonymous said...

@ Annoy 12:19pm, are you serious?? An independent T.V station organized a debate, which I must say was well Anchored by Ms. Kadiri, and the President and Vice President refused to show up without an apology and you expect them to grant him any audience with his already expo answers with BON.
I believe you are a Goodluck supporter so Just come out and say that, rather than beating about the bush. There is a youth organised debate tomorrow, what about us, the President is yet to confirm his attendance, and you expect people to go for his rubbish debate, where he would be treated like the President like his Party chairman said.
Jonathan and PDP are the ones who has no regard for Nigeria and her People. Jonathan should go and enjoy his organised party with Dbanj, and come April he will be out of Office, that is if they dong RIG.
Go on CP africa, the Party mostly likely to win the April election is CPC Buhari/Bakare, People are no longer fools.
Nigerians it takes more than Goodluck to rule Nigeria, We need a visionary leader that is free and fair of corruption!! Ask yourself, who is the most competent before you vote!! Foeget Ethnicity, Religion, who is capable!!

Surprise said...

I think I'm fed up with this debate of a thing jare. Let us all resort to prayer and pray violent prayers that God's will be done in the country.


http://www.surprisebaba.blogspot.com/election violence in Nigeria

Shakara said...

Anon March 24, 2011 12:57 PM -

Tribalism will get us nowhere. Are you voting for GEJ because he’s from your state, your region/South-South or from Southern Nigeria?
All three of them are Northerners, so? Dele Momodu and Pat Utomi are also in the race. Why single out these three because they got their reps to sign a joint statement. All Nigerian Heads of State and Presidents have failed us, if not we should truly be the giant of Africa. What did OBJ do aside from granting GSM licences and bringing Virgin Atlantic to Nigeria? It’s not exactly brain surgery and given the chance, even a LG Councillor can conceive these ideas. Do you know the back hand deals that went with these projects? The same OBJ wanted a Third Term and when he didn’t get it he decided to punish us with a moribund UMY. They have all failed collectively and individually.
Yet people say there should be a revolution in Nigeria. How can it happen when we have the fear of death and people with parochial ideas in their heads?

Anonymous said...

They are evil men . Nigerian politicians are now disgusting me . Ribaduh critizing obj while he was the hitman then . FUCK ALL OF THEM , we the mass should stop killing ourselves because of them please please . Let them die

Anonymous said...

@Anonymous 12:57 PM.
What is wrong if they boycotted the debate?
In 1996 WAEC cancelled some exams and postponed the date because the discovered that some students have the fore knowledged (Expo) of the exam.

Dont be decieved by religion, ethnicity and other interest. GEJ doesnt have what it takes to rule us now.
Go to Bayelsa and asked them what happened during his regime as governor, no single land mark record.
The man you are talking about is a member of Olumba Olumba and not a xtian as most Nigerians think.
Dont be fooled ny politics of religion or ethinicity. After all Hausa man has never been a governor in Bayelsa and how come the place is under developed.
DON Jazzt Again Feat GEJ and D'Banj

Anonymous said...

GEJ want to come and outshine them because he has expo.
Good as the all boycoted

Anonymous said...

ok anon1.11 with your epistle what are you saying?
that GEJ shld come and apologise for not coming before they will attend this debate?
or what exactly are you saying



@anon 12.57
I agree with you jere
naija ppl always following the bandwagon
I totally agree GEJ keeps dissapointing everyone daily,and spewing rubbish from his mouth lately but hes only human jor
cut him some slack biko
under 9months what magic do you want him to perform?
naija has decay of over 50years under its belt

you think being a president of this country is beans
its a freaking hot seat and its not black and white
theres a lot of power play and being dirty being involved


ill give it to buhari just for war against indiscipline
but nothing else ,him vp go just they blow grammer when dem reach there

Concerned said...

Well it would be a colossal mistake from ACN. CPC and ANPP not to attend the debate.
* Firstly, they should realize that 8 parties were invited for the debate. If 3 parties dont show up, we are still left with 5.
* PDP , has an advantage whether we accept it or not. They would easily glide on the glory if the others dont come.
* BON has a wider reach than NN24. So , BON gets to every look and corner of the country.
* For you be crowned a champion, you have to beat PDP at their own tuff. Forget the sentiments about him not attending NN24... they should focus on the dreams of clinching power

Anonymous said...

I definitely see where they are coming from and I am somewhat in agreement with their decision. At the end of the day a 2nd debate would only be in GEJ's interest not theirs. They did their part, he didnt. So why come to a debate where one(GEJ) might have an unfair advantage. Granted, the Nigerian people will be disappointed but hey sometimes one needs to know when to put one's foot down. You cant have 3 grown men dancing to the tune of one who clearly has shown his lack of respect for them..GEJ should go and debate with Dele Momodou and Pat Utomi. As far as I am concerned GEJ has little to nothing to offer Nigeria. He has a platform he is yet to take advantage of for the betterment of Nigeria, what makes you think 4 more years will be any different.

naso said...

this is interesting...anyways...i agree with the first comment...2 wrongs don't make a right...Goodluck messed up for not showing up for the first debate no doubt but now they are doing the same thing he did...which puts them on the same level as him...they should have acted more mature and stepped up to the debate...so all of them put heads together to say they are not coming...smh..so childish of them...abeg jooo...GOODLUCK FOR PRESIDENT...peace

Anonymous said...

It is very unfortunate that some people keep going on about north and south.Who cares who rules as long as the job is done and the long suffering citizens are catered for.

This is 2011 and ethnicity shouldn`t have a place in Nigeria politics.ethnic minded individual live in dark ages.Annonymous 12.57,you should bury ur face in sand for asking Nigerians to vote for Jonathan cos he is a southerner.If he has other merits just list them out pls.Being a southerner is neither merit nor demrit,it s nothing.
One year is not enough to achieve much but it is absolutely sufficient to show good direction and Jonathan has failed woefully in that direction.As someone who rooted for him,loved him,I feel so let down.
Please people before u head to the post please ask yourself if we could have gotten better than what we have now considering our natural resources and if your honest answer is yes then vote against PDP.
Personally I don`t know who to vote for yet but I certainly know whom am not voting for and tha is Jonathan.

Anonymous said...

I am a southerner and i will not touch GEJ with a long pole.
I want to be able to look my kids in the face and tell them that i did something tangible to arrest the destruction of his/her future.
Dbanj can have all the money from GEJ but i will vote for change.
It is not about north and south, it is about our future.

naso said...

ma guy i have a question for you...why do u think Goodluck will destroy the future of our nation...judging from his little time to serve as incumbent president...besides the jos crisis and the random bombings here and there...how has nigeria gone downhill..incase you do not know...our economy has risen over 8% since he came into office...pdp was only able to generate 3,000 mw in 11 years, now under him it has risen to 4,000 in a few months...he has brought trains..there has been an in increase in the agriculture and textile industry and he has done many more things...whenever he does something good people just say the man is lost and he is doing for campaign...he brought nigerians back from egypt,everbody vexed...he brought trains...everybody said they are slow and not necessary..he increased the mw to 4,000..everyone is said is not enough...i dont know but i think he is our best candidate...ribadu to is not bad but everyone should stop calling buhari in the name of God...look at what that man did when he was head of state..he was every autocratic..he locked up journalists..pls what exactly did buhari do in his regime..yes he introduced sanitation and queing...so na that one we go chop..everyone just keeps saying his honest...oya now...hin no go steal ur money but hin no go change ur country..the honesty we are even hailing him for he has not answered what about happened to the 53 suitcases that came into nigeria unchecked during his regime...abegi

Anonymous said...

They rushed to NN24 where Obama and the outside world will see they are contesting presidency in Nigeria. Now it is time Nigerians, especially people from their village will want to see and hear their lies they are running away. Ewo!! .

The most important thing is for the presidential aspirants to talk to Nigerians and not the body that is organizing the dabate that matters. If the President gave reasons for not atteding the one organised by NN24 and you are giving excuses why you will not attend that of BON and others, what is the difference. Politicians should address issues and note centiments.

I believe the BON debate should be taken more serious than the NN24 they all rushed to ... My reason:

1. NN24 is a cable station and people without DSTV cannot view it

2. I didnt know of any NN24 station until the debate (alot still dont know, most people taut it was held outside the country)

3. NN24 debate was conducted without panel ... even the time keeper is annonymous

4. The BON debate has been here for years

5. BON debate will be aired on all local station (BON members)

6. BON is organised by Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, the Newspaper Proprietors‘ Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Bar Association, National Council of Women Societies, News Agency of Nigeria and some civil society groups.

Big Joemayocis said...

@Shakara, I quote you saying "All Nigerian Heads of State and Presidents have failed us". Wud u mind telling me how Buhari failed when he was Head of state or Governor or Minister. He spent 1.5 yrs in as Head of state yet he was able to leave a story of a better Nigeria in d minds of many. Ask your parents about him, I bet u they'll speak of him wit joy and plenty of respect. 4 those who r still supporting PDP, like Prof. Wole Soyinka rightfully said "U're intellectually blind, deaf, dum, crippled, disabled, short n evrtything corrupt.

Big Joemayocis said...

@Naso I'm really sorry 4 ur situation cos u don't seem to have any problem @ all. So u regard d Jos crises n d bombings with the kidnapping n militancy as mere? R u saying u r not pertubd by the level of insecurity in this country? Imagine if d crises n bombings happend very close to u n u lost ur dear ones yet d govt didn't do nothing bout them. PDP didn't generate 3000mw, we had it b4 PDP n only 800mw has been added since then (with $16 billion). So u people shud stop say 4000mw cos its 3800mw. GEJ recently took a huge loan and has plunged d country into more debt, thereby forcing IMF to ask us to devaluate our naira. Do u kno what that means to our economy(e.g $1 = N200)? That is something ur children n children's children will pay for. The only reason u won't appreciate wat Buhari has done so far is because u r sentimental n afraid to tell ursef d truth. Please tell ursef 2 truth.

Temi said...

@ Big Joemayocis: first soyinka never said anything like that and if you were able to grab any paper yesterday u will see where he distanced himself from people like u who r using his name to champaign ...

i like ur question and i will attempt to answer but with a question ... can you tell us what buhari did in his 2 years in government (1983 - 1985)??? just 1 thing, not many Just 1 ...

He came into power in 83 by coup (off-siting shagari), jailed everybody that spoke against his government and his person ...

at the NN24 debate, he said there is nothing wrong with our education and schools (what do u expect from an uneducated military man?) ...

when asked what to do about power, all he could say was that he will probe funds spent on power in the past 12 years, the same unproductive path yar'adua took for 3years till his death (suspending all power projects and road contracts awarded by obj cos he wants to probe, nonsense) ...

As I listen to him, i kept my eyes on the manifesto on his website and i couldn't help but ask who wrote the manifesto on his website cos there was total disconnect from what was written and what he was saying ...

On his noise about fighting curruption: how can he? last year at Abacha's 10th year remembrance he said Abacha is the best president we have ever had and that abacha is a very honest man who did not steal any kobo from Nigeria ... (what do u expect from abacha money transfer agent ... as chairman of PTF he was busy helping abacha loot our funds)

... Nigeria does not need a refurbished 1983 Volkswagen (back engine) ... what we need is a fresh digital thinking mind ...

if buhari couldnt run our economy when 1dollar is 1naira, he cant when a dollar is 150naira ...

naso said...

@ Big Joemayocis i dont know about u o but most parents i have asked dont speak to highly about buhari's regime...tell me wat exactly did buhari do?...is it his war against indiscipline you want to call cause he handled it poorly...he had lopsided punishments and backdated rules to kill people...yes i agree he reduced inflation a great deal but the way he did it messed up the economy of nigeria..pls...i have done my research on buhari and i assure you...judging from how he handled nigeria as head of state..i would not give him a second chance...i'll rather vote for ribadu sef

Shakara said...

Temi, thanks for answering Big J re-Buhari. I started typing similar points to yours last night but i just deleted my comments!

Anonymous said...

Buhari violated human rights, Jono is an airhead and ribadu is a talkative pawn who is too glad to be the centre of attention. My vote's on ANPP guy. He seems articulate and has an impressive resume as a former governor

doll (retired blogger) said...

na them need the debate pass? who knew shkarau before the last debate. They need every platform and exposure they can get. So they better shine their eyes and go and do their thing and stop being stupid

Nonye said...

My goodness!! and we are all Nigerian youth?! How will the change come if some of us reason the way they do???

Please the reason GEJ didnt attend the NN24 debate was cos his request to get the questions ahead were turned down! get your facts right!. It has nothing to do with wide or narrow coverage. And why should Ribadu, Shekarau and Buhari attend the BON debate??? why? are they GEJ's puppies? pls religious and ethnic sentiments should be thrown aside here, GEJ may win the elections but he is not the leader Nigeria needs now.

@Temi: Soyinka never denied making the statement about PDP (just as he didnt say support this party or that one), he only denied text messages sent out in his name to campaign for candidates....

@Skankmypeaceofmind: I couldnt agree better! U hit the point!

naso said...

@ temi....i totally agree with u my dear...ride on..

Big Joemayocis said...

@Nonye pls dnt waste time on em. As far as I'm concern, it's better 2 b blind physically than intellectually. They need prayers. Lets just keep praying 4 them.

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