#2019Debate : Summary

By Binoculars Manny, Editor: The World Mirror Online

The 2019 Nigerian Presidential Election debate tagged #2019Debate held at 7pm tonight the 19th January 2019. It had been scheduled to feature the following Presidential aspirants:

i) The incumbent President Muhammad Buhari of the ruling APC,
ii) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition PDP,
iii) Dr. Oby Ezekwesili of the ACPN,
iv) Mr. Fela Duro-toye of the ANN (Alliance for a New Nigeria),
v) Prof. Kingsley Moghalu of the YPP.

The presidential candidates of Nigeria’s ruling and main opposition parties shunned the presidential debate which held in Abuja [FCT] Nigeria.

Only three candidates attended the debates scheduled for five candidates.

Mr Buhari also shunned the 2015 presidential debate when he was the main opposition contender.

The running mates of all the five presidential candidates, however, participated in the vice presidential debates on December 14.

The main opposition party PDP Presidential Aspirant Alhaji Atiku Abubakar had the following to say on his twitter handle @atiku ” We came here for a Presidential debate, not a candidacy debate, and I, Atiku Abubakar cannot challenge or question an administration where the man at the helm of the affairs of the nation is not present to defend himself or his policies. “

He continued ” Afterall, you cannot shave a man’s head in his absence. I do not believe in attacking a man who is NOT here to defend himself. As a leader and former vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, let me first apologise to all Nigerians, my fellow candidates and the moderator for the APC Presidential Candidate’s absence in this debate. His non-appearance is a slight on ALL of us and our democracy. “

Further more he said “With respect to my fellow candidates, Fela Durotoye, Oby Ezekwesili, Kingsley Moghalu & to moderator Mark Sugar & with apologies to Nigerians here & at home expecting an interesting debate, I regret I will not be able to go on with this debate due to President Buhari’s absence. I however challenge President Buhari to choose a date and time for a debate where he will be present and I will be there, hopefully with the other candidates as well. Thank you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. ”

Now, here is a moment by moment run down of how it unfolded:

It all began with Timi Dakolo singing the national anthem there at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

**********

Kingsley Moghalu begins by saying he’ll be sworn in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29, 2019. He subs Buhari too with that “kitchen and other room” remark.

Opening remarks time

***********

Fela Durotoye is next. He’s in all white here. Durotoye says we have been ruled and not lead in the last 50 odd years.

He says he’s dedicated his life to the service of Nigeria.

“I only come to you with the hope of the future of this nation”, Durotoye says. Promises a nation that works for all if elected.

*********

Obiageli Ezekwesili talks about opportunities Nigeria has given her, speaks of her track record in governance and why she’s the person for the job.

***********

Atiku actually arrived the venue of this debate, but refused to get on stage because Buhari didn’t show up.

Here is his statement below:

“We came here for a Presidential debate, not a candidacy debate, and I, Atiku Abubakar can not challenge or question an administration where the man at the helm of the affairs of the nation is not present to defend himself or his policies. After all you cannot shave a man’s head in his absence. I do not believe in attacking a man who is NOT here to defend himself. As a leader and former vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, let me first apologise to all Nigerians, my fellow candidates and the moderator for the APC Presidential Candidates absence in this debate. His non-appearance is a slight on ALL of us and our democracy.

“Secondly, with all due respect to my fellow candidates, Fela Durotoye, Oby Ezekwesili, Kingsley Moghalu and to the moderator and with all apologies to my Fellow Nigerians here and at home expecting an interesting debate, I regret that I will not be able to go on with this debate due to President Buhari’s absence.

“I however challenge the President Buhari to choose a date and time for a debate where he will be present and I will be there, hopefully with the other candidates as well”.

**********

Moghalu talks about his plans for fixing the economy, with emphasis on his venture capital fund of N1trillion.

******

Ezekwesili explains how she’ll get 80 million Nigerians out of poverty. Durotoye says Agriculture will fix the Nigerian economy.

Within two years, Moghalu says, his government will reduce recurrent expenditure by 50 percent.

******

Ezekwesili spars with Moghalu on recurrent expenditure. Says there has to be an actual plan or strategy not mere talk.

“I’ll be riding in a bus that will carry other ministers when I become president”, Durotoye says no 30 car convoy when he becomes president.

********

Moghalu says his N1trillion venture capital fund will be equally shared by the public and private sectors. N500B from government, N500B from private sector

“I am not surprised that Buhari and Atiku are not here. They have simply announced their exit”, Ezekwesili says.

She adds that the old political order needs to fade away with their bad politics and tired ideas.

Durotoye on Buhari and Atiku’s absence: “It shows that the future is here and old things have passed away. Pride goes before a fall”.

The camera keeps panning to the empty stands of the APC and PDP.

“They are not here because of arrogance and because they cannot answer the questions. They want to come to power with a sense of entitlement”, Moghalu says of Atiku and Buhari’s presence.

********

Seriously speaking, if eloquence were a criteria to be president, one of these three would be sworn in May.

********

Buhari isn’t here, but his Ads are. During the interlude, we are told to vote Buhari in commercials. Nice.

*****

Candidates now answering questions on security. Moghalu says he will tackle corruption in the military and use intelligence to tackle extremism.

Ezekwesili says consequences and a SWAT team can help deal with insecurity.

“We must grow the economy more than 1.8 percent”, says Ezekwesili, who adds that the solution to fixing the Nigerian economy is “jobs, jobs and more jobs”.

“No part of the country will be marginalised under my government. Every part of the country will be represented by their best, not their worst”, says Moghalu.

******

The three candidates have been really articulate here. All of them. No surprises as well.

“I will end ASUU strikes in Nigeria”, Kingsley Moghalu promises, to cheers and applause here.

“Education of the poor in public schools will be paramount for us”, says Ezekwesili.

Moghalu says he will be the education president of Nigeria. Says his government will make secondary education free.

“We will put public secondary school education to such a high standard that a lot of private schools will have to look for a new business model”, says Moghalu.

******

Moghalu jabs Buhari: “Some of the beneficiaries of medical tourism are not here”, while stating how healthcare will be fixed in his administration.

******

Fela Durotoye is stuttering on healthcare…what’s going on?

********

Moghalu jabs Atiku. Says he won’t privatize national assets to his friends.

*******

Durotoye rubbishes APC’s anti-corruption war. Takes a dig at Oshiomhole.

*******

Closing statements. “I am ready and it is time”, says Moghalu, while rubbishing APC and PDP.

Fela Durotoye repeats that his line about something big happening in Nigeria every 20 years.

*****

The candidates then held hands and sang along with Timi Dakolo. Emotional stuff.

The end.