Ahead of next month's general election, a group of young Nigerian
professionals under the aegis of “The People's Senate” is organising a
proxy debate for the presidential candidates of eight major political
parties in the country.
Those billed to participate in the debate include the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for
Progressive Change (CPC),National Conscience Party (NCP), All Nigeria
Peoples Party (ANPP), National Transformation Party (NTP), Social
Democratic Mega Party (SDMP) and Fresh Democratic Party (FDP).
The exercise will also feature a mock election during which the
audience will be presented with ballot papers and allowed to cast
their votes for their favourite candidates after the debate.
President of the Peoples Senate, Mr Lai Labode who disclosed this to
newsmen in Abuja, said the programme, which would feature the youth
representatives of each of the presidential candidates, is scheduled
for Sunday, March 13 at the Abuja Sheraton Hotels.
Labode said out of the eight political parties invited for the debate,
six have already indicated interest to attend and already sent in
their youth representatives to participate in the debate.
According to Labode, questions have already been sent to the political
parties to ensure they prepare adequately for the exercise. However,
he advised that each party should also be prepared to take impromptu
questions from members of the audience.
He stated that the debate was geared towards re-directing the
presidential campaigns from personalities to issues of national
development.
On why the group decided to organise a proxy debate rather than taking
on the presidential candidates themselves, Labode said: "What we are
trying to do is to build the capacity of young Nigerians and prepare
them to be able to take over the country's leadership in the near
future. The Peoples Senate is positioned to be Nigeria ’s authentic
youth group focused on youth empowerment and keen participation in the
socio-political space. We intend to build the largest movement of
youths and women to participate in politics and nation building and to
prove that young people can influence the outcome of any election
based on collective will and informed choices.
"It is in the interest of the entire country that we position a new
set of competent, passionate and inspired youths and women for
elective offices as this will position the country for global
competitiveness,” he said.
Labode said his organisation was determined to build a systematic
youth movement whose members would participate in the democratic
process with a view to entrenching best practices and playing advisory
roles in support of good governance in the country.
culled from Thisday Live
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