November 26, (THEWILL) – In an effective democratic system, debate is seen as an essential tool, used by the electorate to measure the perception of candidates about certain national issues.
Seen as the mirror which presents the image of a candidate as reflected on critical issues, debates could boost or reduce the chances in an election.
However, with the commencement of campaigns for the 2023 elections by political parties in Nigeria, a number of presidential debates have been conducted by the media.
Speaking as a guest on News Central TV programme, “Politics HQ”, Austyn Ogannah, Publisher of THEWILL Newspaper, pointed out that mainstream media partisanship has affected Candidates’ participation in the debates.
On the role the media has to play in townhall and presidential debates ahead of the forthcoming elections, Ogannah observed that most debates are being put together for self-interest.
Noting the rising suspicion of partisanship that characterised the debates, he said media personnel, who managed presidential candidates, would not want to expose them to an environment they considered hostile. He faulted the chaotic situation where organisers changed rules in the middle of a debate.
He charged the media to provide a comfortable platform where candidates would air their views on crucial national issues, adding that debates reflect the mindset of candidates when they are quizzed by the public outside their scripted statements.
Ogannah also called on the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) to see that future debates are tailored towards issues that affect the common good of Nigerians.
He expressed hope that the 2023 elections would mark a remarkable shift from the past.
Noting the commitment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the IReV for transmission of results from the polling units, as well as inter-agency collaboration to ensure the security of votes and voters, Ogannah said the 2023 elections would leave so much to be desired.
He, however, projected that the presidential election would be a three-horse race for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP).
Ogannah also emphasised that the election would be a “deal” for the three parties because of the factors that would shape the outcome.
A run-off presidential election, he said, is possible because of the ethnic dimension that is being driven into it.
This, he said, has been propelled by the rise of a third force party, the LP, where the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, has become a symbol of hope for the youths and the majority who are disenchanted by the government of the APC.
On the crisis in the PDP, Ogannah said except the party is able to come together before the 2023 elections, it may also repeat its mistakes in 2015.
Reminding the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, that “politics is a game of addition”, Ogannah thinks that the National chairman of the party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, should be sacrificed for the return of the ‘Integrity group’, led by the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.
On how Tinubu can change the course for the Delta state governorship election in 2023, Ogannah projected that the outcome of the presidential election would determine the choice of governor in Delta.
Should Tinubu win the presidential election, the Delta governorship race might go the way of the APC, he said.
About the Author
