NEDG releases guidelines for presidential debate

The Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) yesterday released its presidential debate format and schedule.

Addressing reporters in Abuja, its chairman, Aremo Taiwo Allimi, said the debate for the eight vice presidential candidates would hold next Tuesday; the presidential comes up on March 29 and 30.

According to him, President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to face presidential candidates of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Nuhu Ribadu; All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on the last day of the debate, which will hold at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

Allimi said the 27 parties present at a meeting with the group on March 17 endorsed the debate and assured that their candidates would attend the televised programme.

He said: “As part of efforts to build capacities and broad consensus towards the 2011 presidential debates, we met with all the registered political parties on March 17 in Abuja and I am happy to report to you that all the 27 political parties present endorsed the debate.” 

Allimi said NEDG relied on the list of 2011 House of Representatives candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the criterion for the debate.

He said only parties with candidates for the lower legislative chambers were slated for the debate.

He promised that the debate would be issue-based and aimed at setting public agenda for policy formulation and the direction for the next government. 

Allimi said the NEDG core principles of fairness, due process, transparency, justice and professionalism would be maintained during the debate.