2023: Tinubu, Atiku absent at town hall for presidential candidates

Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, and Atiku Abubakar, the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), failed to show up at a town hall meeting for presidential candidates on Sunday.

The presidential town hall series is an initiative of Arise Television and the Centre for Democracy and Development.

The candidates in attendance were Peter Obi, the flagbearer of the Labour Party; Rabiu Kwakwanso, presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, and Kola Abiola, the standard bearer of the Peoples Redemption Party.

Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta state governor and vice-presidential candidate of the PDP, was in attendance to represent the party’s flagbearer.

Commenting on the absence of the PDP presidential candidate at the town hall meeting, Okowa said Atiku secured permission from the organisers to be away.

The Delta governor said: “He (Atiku) is outside the country. We duly obtained the permission of the organisers for him to be represented.

“When it is time for debates, we will get into it. But this time, it is a town hall. Atiku has asked me to represent him.”

There was however no representative for the presidential candidate of the ruling APC.

The agenda for the first presidential town hall meeting is security and the economy.

Speaking at the meeting, Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi told Nigerians not to vote for him based on ethnic or entitlement sentiments, but on the competence he comes with.

According to Obi, he has the capacity to take Nigeria out of its current predicament and on that basis should Nigerians vote for him.

He affirmed that it is nobody’s turn but that of the youth and the women.

He said: “Do not vote for Peter Obi because I am from the South East, because I am a Christian, because I am an Igbo man, or because it is my turn. It is turn of Nigeria Youth and Women, It is nobody’s turn.

“I want you to vote for Peter Obi because I am qualified. Because I am competent. I know what I can do to put this country out of the brink.”

On how he would solve the security challenges of the country, Obi stressed the need to strengthen and revive the local vigilante system in the country and have them work together with the police.

He said: “To provide for every community a vigilante system that is working, provide them with vehicles, communication equipment, linking them to work with police.”

The presidential candidate also slammed the incumbent government for lack of proactiveness and failure to adhere to intelligence in forestalling the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

According to Obi, if he was the president, he would have done things differently to avert the tragedy.

“There was a failure of intelligence processor because before that incident happened, from information available, they were already indications of insecurity within that rail corridor as well as previous attempts and intelligence that were ignored. So there was a failure of processing and giving due attention to intelligence which I would have promptly dealt with.

“Two, when it happened, government’s action and communication were weak. If I was commander-in-chief, we would have acted swiftly and throughout that process, we’ll have remained in communication and at least, showed consistent empathy to that families of those involved,” he said.

Also speaking, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso on Sunday said anger over the failure of system of government in Nigeria under the watch of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) made him join NNPP.

His words: “I’m angry, to the extent of leaving the PDP, and leaving the APC. We feel there are better ways to do things, we believe the system has failed that is why we decided to go to New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).”

“The security and economy, I’m happy you took these two, but we can’t separate them with other areas like health, education, agriculture, and so on, it is the failure of those areas that resulted to the insecurity that we see today and even the issue of economy.

“I believe if government is doing the right things, many people will put down their arms and those who refuse to do that, it is the responsibility to ensure they necessary steps are taken within the bracket of the law to ensure each and every Nigerian lives in peace.”

However, the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima have cited hectic campaign schedules and resolve not to give any Television station prefrence among others as reasons for their absence at Sunday’s town hall meeting of presidential candidates in Abuja.

Explaining Tinubu’s absence, the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, in a statement by its Chief Spokesman, Mr. Festus Keyamo, said: “Tinubu did not attend the Presidential Debate organised by ARISE TV on Sunday, November 6, 2022, for the following reasons:

“Firstly, many radio and TV networks in Nigeria have indicated interests to host such debates and out of deference to other TV and radio stations, our candidate will not be making selective appearances in some networks, whilst ignoring others. As President of Nigeria, by the Special Grace of God, he intends to treat all persons and businesses fairly and equally.

“Secondly, the busy and hectic campaign schedules of Asiwaju Tinubu will not permit him to honour all such invitations by different radio and TV networks, hence our decision for him not to start with one TV station and later ignore others.

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“Thirdly, our candidate had long before now realised the importance of speaking directly to Nigerians and shortly after unfolding his Action Plan as President embarked on Town Hall meetings beginning with his interaction with the Business Community and other stakeholders in Kano followed by the Town Hall meeting and presentation by experts last week in Lagos. “Tomorrow (Monday), he will be interacting with Agro and Commodity Groups in Minna, Niger State.

“Whilst we thank Arise TV for the invitation, we want to assure Nigerians that we shall continue to hold these debate groups and Nigerians in high esteem. Nigerians will hear from our candidate loud and clear through other forums, DailyTimesNGR gathered.

“Lastly, out of profound respect for Nigerians, we urge all our party structures and supporters at the grassroots to continue to organise town hall meetings to educate Nigerians on the Action Plan of our candidate as we believe a grassroots-approach to reach Nigerians will also be more profound.”