2023: NESG Abandons Presidential Debate On Economic Policy
- Blames reluctance by candidates, political parties
BY EDMOND ODOK – Nigerians’ desire to hear the presidential candidates of the various political parties outline their economic plans for the country in a public debate ahead of the 2023 general elections has already suffered a serious setback.
No thanks to the clearly uncooperative attitude of some presidential candidates and their political parties, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has shelved the Presidential Debate on Economic Policy earlier planned for Tuesday, November 15 in Abuja.
Though the NESG failed to clearly state the reasons for its decision, insider sources said the presidential candidates of the two major political parties, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have remained hostile and unamenable to rational public debate among the flag bearers.
But dropping hints on what informed its sudden move, the private sector-led think-tank and policy advocacy group said the action became necessary after “a critical assessment of events surrounding recent engagements with the presidential candidates, as well as subsequent statements from political parties”.
A statement announcing the group’s decision said the debate “will no longer take place as planned due to these prevailing circumstances”, adding; “We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this decision may cause our stakeholders and all Nigerians”.
However, despite being forced to temporarily abandon the process, the NESG maintained that debates being essential to the election process and increasingly regarded as a tradition and the bedrock of a healthy democracy, it would “actively seek independent direct engagements with the candidates on critical economic policy reform issues and prescriptions”.
According to the statement signed by its Chief Executive Officer, Laoye Jaiyeola, debates “embody fundamental principles which ensure that the citizens are informed and actively involved in leadership choices and decision-making.
“At this critical time in our country’s history, it is now more important than ever to nudge Nigerians towards informed voting choices that result in transformational leaders with the knowledge and understanding of the issues that will steer our country toward shared economic prosperity”.
NESG said it was against this background that it decided to facilitate a presidential debate, alongside NEDG, in collaboration with other concerned groups, stressing; “We envision a Nigeria where election debates are an integral part of the electoral process, and candidates are eager to engage citizens in discussions about their mandates, experience, ability, capacity, knowledge, and overall competence for the positions they seek.”
As a non-partisan organisation with a mandate to foster the establishment of an economic foundation for democracy, the NESG said; “We remain committed to providing a platform for such engagements in the national interest”.
The group explained that the now-abandoned debate was meant to provide a unique platform and opportunity for presidential candidates to discuss their economic agenda in an environment of civil discourse.
It was being facilitated by the NESG and the Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG), in collaboration with the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Enough is Enough, BudgIT as well as Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU).
