Empower INEC To Disqualify Candidates Who Shun Debates, Utomi Tells FG

Chairman of the National Consultative Front (NCFront), Prof. Pat Utomi has urged the Nigerian government to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify presidential candidates who fail to attend debates and town hall meetings to interact with the people.

Utomi said such presidential candidates who find excuses to dodge debates do so because they fear they are not fit for the task or are unwilling to make commitments that can be used to hold them accountable when elected into power.

He further said this has made many Nigerians lose interest in the country’s democracy as an accountable process of government of the people, for the people and by the people. This declining interest, he adduced, is seen in lower voter turnout from 1999 to 2019 and Afrobarometer survey results through the years showing inclination to a disconnected state in which state capture has become the motive force of politics and fascism seems on the ascendancy.

Prof Utomi made these remarks at his Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) office in Victoria Island while addressing leadership interns.

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The former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)  emphasized the pout while calling for concerted action to build a democracy.  He announced, the structural layout of the Big Tent, the grouping of political parties, social movements, civil society, organisations and candidate support groups committed to revitalizing Nigeria’s democracy which he said has now witnessed resurgence in voter’s registration with Peter Obi support groups.

He was speaking to Big Tent members as he announced roles in the Big Tent structure.

Big Tent parties including Labour, ADC, SDP, social Movement including Congress of Nigerian Professionals. The New Fabian Society, Business Nigeria, The NLC and TUC and Faith-based organisation working together showed up at the earlier briefing.

He regretted that rather than celebrate this upsurge in voting behaviour many traditional politicians are raising primordial sentiments to divide the people and turn back the hands of the clock of democracy.

Charging that a failure of leadership was responsible for the effort to turn back the hand of the clock to advance the morally questionable ambition of individuals who are pushing back on the common good of all for their selfish ambitions, he said the judgment of history would be severe on those who may end up pushing Nigeria over the brink.

Continuing on the structure of the Big Tent, Utomi who is chairman of the NCFront, convener of the Big Tent and a leader of the Labour Party said the main structures of the BIG TENT campaign include the collegiate leadership council, its apex executive body which is chaired by the convener, The Big Tent integrated Campaign Council which is the congress of members setting the course of the Third Force support in this instance for the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi and the Policy Review and the Future View Team. The Policy Review Team, a working shadows practice team is supported by 32 Deep Dive Teams of Experts and Policy activists drawn from home and diaspora who generate evidence to structure policy input they feed into the subject focal persons in the Policy Review team for choice and advise to the candidate.

Professor of Political Economy said a network of 43 spokespersons to give local flavor to every campaign statement and issue also a part of the structures in addition to grassroots fire teams for every polling station in the country.

He praised the army of volunteers committed to taking back Nigeria.