The Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) has pleaded with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential campaign organization not to boycott the debates being organized by the group for the various presidential candidates of the parties taking part in the February 14 election.
The group in a statement yesterday in Abuja while reacting to APC Presidential Campaign Organisation’s announcement that it will not take part in the live debates being organized by the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), one of the organizations that make up the NEDG, explained that “the debate is not organized by government controlled stations”.
The APCPCO had insisted that it would not participate in the debates because some members of the group were sympathetic to the ruling PDP and its presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan.
The statement said “no medium in spite of its membership of BON controls nor determines the activities, actions and programmes of the Group”.
While explaining the composition of the NEDG, comprising federal, state and privately owned broadcast stations, the group allayed the fears of APC on the debates, saying “we shall continue to engage the party and its flag bearer; hoping they will have a change of mind and seize the unique opportunity provided by the debates to engage the citizenry on their plans for leadership of the country”.