Four of the 18 officially recognized political parties’ presidential candidates participated in a town hall gathering on Sunday to engage voters.
Participants included Kola Abiola of the Peoples Redemption Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) (PRP).
Ifeanyi Okowa, the PDP vice presidential candidate who represented Atiku Abubakar, was also present.
The Center for Democracy and Development and Arise Television coordinated the event. The first of the sessions was held on Sunday, with the emphasis being placed on security and the economy.
According to The Premier News, Atiku and Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for president, did not attend the debate.
Atiku was represented at the ceremony, but Mr. Tinubu was not, thus Mr. Abiola was substituted by the organizers.
Performance
Candidates spoke in turn about their plans for addressing the nation’s economic and security challenges during the debate, which lasted more than four hours.
Okowa
According to the PDP delegate, Nigeria must improve security officers’ welfare in order to assure their well-being. He added that addressing the unemployment problem is necessary to prevent young people from becoming attracted to criminality.
In order to combat insecurity, he pledged, an Atiku administration would permit the establishment of state police, while the federal police would be outfitted with the latest in technology.
To solve the security situation in Nigeria, he added, “We need to stress coordinated intelligence gathering and sharing, and we need more troops on the ground.” “Policing needs to change in Nigeria so that people who are more familiar with their neighborhoods can better secure them. The expectations we have are too great for a single, centrally located police force to handle.
According to him, state police are essential because they put officers in neighborhoods they are familiar with and may utilize this strategy to combat instability.
In response to a question on how the Atiku-Okowa administration would handle violent agitators like IPOB, Mr. Okowa stated that his administration would chose dialogue and negotiations with sincere agitators while taking serious action against criminals.
He pointed out that the demands and agitations of bandits and secessionist organizations are sincere and are motivated by resentment toward a nation that is either failing or has marginalized them.
“We’ll have a conversation with the actual Ipob agitators and use the law to stop the criminal element posing as agitators…
If I were to sit down with the bandits right now, I would tell them that Nigeria has hope.
He claimed that the PDP’s pan-Nigerian administration would be the only means of tackling Nigeria’s security issues.
Regarding the economy, Mr. Okowa acknowledged the “debt forgiveness” that the Olusegun Obasanjo government had obtained for the nation.
He asserted that the key to addressing debt problems and reviving the economy is through job growth.
“In Delta State, there used to be unrest in the towns that produced oil. But now, we’ve collaborated in these towns to generate employment, train a new generation of businesspeople, and demonstrate to the locals our concern for their growth,” he said.
According to him, the best course of action is to use government funds to foster entrepreneurship, ease people’s burdens, and expand the economy to improve living standards.
While promising that the Atiku administration will make sure that the educational system operates as it should, he issued a warning against the idea that money should be saved rather than used to improve the lives of individuals.
Additionally, he berated Mr. Obi and Mr. Kwankwanso for declaring they would not invest a lot of money in their campaigns. According to Mr. Okowa, this was unavoidable given Nigeria’s current political climate. He asserted that strengthening the electoral process and the courts was more crucial so that Nigerians could reject any candidates who make empty claims.
Many people who heard Mr. Okowa speak expressed their admiration for him. Nigerians have praised his eloquence, mannerisms, and the way he expressed his ideas and objectives on social media. However, there are concerns that the majority does not stop at his table and that he is not the presidential candidate. He performed at a 7/10 level overall.
Peter Obi
Mr. Obi referred to the March train attack in Abuja and Kaduna as an intelligence processing failure and asserted that such an event would not take place if he were president. He claimed that based on the information at his disposal, the intelligence acquired was disregarded and there were already signs of vulnerability within that train track.
He also criticized the present administration for failing to move quickly and communicate effectively. He claimed that if he had been commander in chief, he would have taken prompt action, maintained contact, and at the very least consistently displayed concern for the families of those involved. This, he claimed, illustrates the necessity of enhancing intelligence processing and providing a prompt response whenever such a circumstance occurs.
He clarified that he will combat poverty in order to enhance the nation’s security. He claimed that when individuals are “taken out of poverty, crime in the country is lessened.” He believes that terrorists commit acts of terrorism because they are aware of the nation’s extreme poverty. You will create poverty in a nation where the rulers are wealthier than business owners.
Mr. Obi added that dealing with security issues did not require prior military experience. He remarked that in order to effectively use the appropriate people and material resources to eradicate the issues, one must have a thorough grasp of them.
He stated that he will talk about IPOB with both criminals and genuine agitators.
Regarding the economy, he declared that he will eliminate subsidies for petroleum items while wisely investing the money saved. He added that oil theft is an organized crime including regulators and that it needs to be combated promptly and vehemently.
Even while Mr. Obi claimed he has never opposed borrowing, he insisted that it must be done for production rather than consumption. To increase revenue and control the exchange rate, it is necessary to stop government waste. And sufficient work will be done to increase output.
Invoking his tenure as governor of Anambra State, where women held important positions, he claimed that women and young people will form the backbone of his administration if elected.
In regards to flood control, Mr. Obi claimed that dredging and channeling waterways, such as the Rivers Niger and Benue, is the answer. He also raised worry about how previous monies for these projects had been squandered.
He urged people not to choose leaders who are unable to account for the assets entrusted to their care.
He said that he does not spend money on his campaign and that it is funded entirely by donations from fans. Then, he made a connection between the issue of excessive campaign spending and corruption, saying that the best way to combat corruption was to set an example.
Many people, especially the #OBIdients, expressed their admiration for Mr. Obi’s comments. Many of the things he said on Sunday have already been spoken, and some Nigerians have praised and referred to them as strategic plans. However, several of his comments have drawn criticism for lacking specificity, particularly when it comes to resolving Nigeria’s campaign financing difficulties and employing intelligence to combat insecurity. He performed at a 7/10 level overall.
Kwankwaso, Rabiu
The former governor of Kano State planned to overhaul the country’s security structure by increasing the size of the Nigerian police force and armed forces to at least one million each.
If put into practice, he claimed, things will change quickly and Nigeria will be able to maintain control over its borders.
He added that his government will be open to talking to everybody, even agitators who use violence, regardless of where they are in the nation.
Anyone who is upset can join us for a seat. I joined NNPP because I am likewise angry. I disagree with what the APC and PDP have done and continue to do. They will have a conversation with our government over a table. Ultimately, if someone chooses to believe otherwise, the law will undoubtedly follow its course.
Mr. Kwankwaso also declared that he would increase national security by persuading willing youth corps members to enlist in the military and other security organizations.
He claimed that there is plenty that could be done about the economy and poverty but isn’t.
He claimed that when he served as governor, every child received appropriate opportunities for primary through university education. If elected president, he plans to carry on this strategy.
“For our girls, we bought hundreds of high-capacity buses, and we provided free transportation for all of our girls from their homes to school. They received equal treatment from us. We also provide free prenatal care for our female clients, he added, promising to expand upon this if elected president.
The country, according to Mr. Kwankwaso, has sufficient resources and does not require borrowing. He attributed the nation’s unpredictable electricity supply on poor leadership.
He criticized homeowners for foolishly developing in lowland areas when asked about his efforts to combat flooding.
“I have a PhD in water engineering and am a civil engineer. We are quite knowledgeable about this field. We sold numerous low-lying communities in Kano and provided free construction of homes, the man claimed.
Comment:
Mr. Kwankwaso is probably in the top two, if not the top, performers for the nights. Many were amazed by the way he answered questions about his goals with real-world examples and how, although receiving some criticism, he still managed to retain a positive attitude toward the other candidates. Score – 7/10
Abiola Kola
When Mr. Abiola was elected, he made a vow to Nigerians that he wouldn’t carry the baggage of previous regimes and repurposed politicians into governing.
He mentioned that he has never run for office as governor, state chairman, or member of a local council. He claimed that repurposed politicians had dominated Nigeria’s leadership.
Leadership is a problem that affects security. Security is not being coordinated as it should be. Trust is essential, but sadly, it is no longer present. There is a moment to try something else and change that, he said.
The PRP candidate emphasized the necessity of going back and dealing with the security-defence architecture, which is the first step he plans to take if elected the next year.
We will look at what we have and make it work rather than trying to invent the wheel.
Nigeria’s economy, according to Mr. Abiola, is unstable. He claimed that the issue is bad governance rather than the 2008 global financial crisis or the war in Ukraine.
He bemoaned the poor governance that had prevented our economy from having risk management.
“We have no faith in our government, which is why we have an insatiable desire for Fx. He said to the audience, “We have no faith in our leadership. People will still choose foreign exchange (FX) because they think it will hold its worth regardless of the exchange rate or inflation rate. That needs to be resolved. We must broaden our source of income.
Additionally, Mr. Abiola promised to create an inclusive administration in which women and young people would participate in the decision-making processes. He promised that his administration will make sure that women held at least 20% of the top jobs.
He claimed that his party epitomizes newness and does “what it takes to make sure that those coming after us have the chance to chose their own futures in a united Nigeria.”
Comment:
Mr. Abiola demonstrated his oratory skills and emphasized numerous times that he was a fresh candidate without the baggage of having previously held public office. His eloquence, nevertheless, seemed to obscure the fact that some of his proffered answers lacked specifics. He reeled forth inaccurate information in at least one instance when he tried to be detailed, such as on the National Security Council, and he held to it even after he was fact-checked. Score – 6/10.
Continued Town Hall Meetings
Overall, many of the comments from all the candidates lacked specificity. For instance, although all indicated they would, none provided a particular date for when the petrol subsidy would be eliminated. The questions’ wording and the moderator’s lack of follow-up inquiries also made it possible for the contenders to get away with giving vague answers.
The four individuals who appeared on stage on Sunday were chosen based on how well their parties performed in an online poll administered by the organizers, in which all 18 political parties were listed alphabetically.
Nine parties did not collect votes after the survey was closed, according to a statement from the CDD. African Action Congress (AAC) received 20.7% of the vote, followed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 86.2%, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with 6.9%, the Labour Party (LP) with 96.6%, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with 51.7%, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 82.8%, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) with 6.9%, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with 6.9%
The results of this survey helped us make the decision to invite the top four parties—LP, APC, PDP, and NNPP—to the town hall, according to the organizers.
However, the PRP was introduced to take the place of the APC, which opted not to participate in the debate.
The debate, according to the organizers, is the first in a series; additional parties will be invited, and other subjects, like health and education, will also be covered.
