Jonathan, Sambo Ready For Live Debate
ABUJA, March 14, (THEWILL) – President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo are ready for a live broadcast of a Presidential and Vice Presidential debate, the Presidency has said.
In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ima Niboro, the Presidency debunked insinuations from the opposition that it is deliberately avoiding a debate with Presidential candidates of other political parties ahead of April’s Presidential poll.
The debate would be hosted by the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) according to the statement.
“President Jonathan and his deputy are more than ready to debate on this national platform which has well-established procedures and rules of engagement and looks forward to receiving an invitation from the organisers.
“It is preposterous to insinuate that the duo are reluctant or afraid of a debate with other presidential candidates, as it is too obvious that they have no reason to be hesitant about debating with any of the candidates being presented by other political parties,” the Presidency stated in a statement from Aso Rock spokesman, Mr. Ima Niboro.
He explained that “the multiplicity of competing platforms detracts from the seriousness, gravity and unified national focus that should normally be associated with presidential debates”, adding that government owned Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), which over the years had the traditional platform for hosting Presidential debates, would host one before the April election.
He added that, “by reason of incumbency, qualifications and long continuous experience in governance at state and national levels, Jonathan and Sambo have a far better grasp and understanding of the nation’s challenges than any of their opponents and are better placed than them to proffer workable solutions to the country’s problems.”
The Presidency was highly criticized following the withdrawal of Vice President Namadi Sambo from the Vice Presidential Debate organised by a private television station NN24 a few days ago.