The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said yesterday it is still weighing the option of its candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, participating in a presidential debate.
The director of media and publicity of the PCC, Abba Dabo, in a chat with journalists in Abuja, explained that the body has not made up its mind because of several requests by the sponsors, some of which he said are not vibrant.
He said over five different organisations have approached the council for debate and that some of them merely want only four presidential candidates to participate.
He listed some of those that have approached the council to include NN24, Channels TV, and Nigerian Presidential Debate Council (in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
“Some of them said only four candidates and we say why. What criteria are you using? Why not all the candidates? Why do you think this one is important and not the other one? Again, some of them don’t have the reach. But we are still looking at the format the debate will take,” Mr. Dabo said.
The PCC spokesman also denounced the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Muhammadu Buhari, for asking Nigerians to lynch anyone who attempts to rig the forthcoming elections.
Stating that though Mr. Jonathan has already responded to Mr. Buhari’s call, the council spokesman said there are other ways to check rigging without necessarily taking people’s lives.
He said the PDP will not be involved in the rigging of election, but that the party and the council felt the CPC candidate has no right to incite Nigerians.
“He is contesting to be the president, most likely he is not going to win. Nobody in this country should incite the electorate to kill.
“That is why in contrast to what he said, the president said his wanting to be the president is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. It is an attitudinal thing. We feel very, very strongly about people of his calibre inciting Nigerians to do that, especially in an atmosphere like this.
“A little spark is all it takes to cause a mayhem. It is something that had to be brought to his attention so that it is not repeated. I understand prominent Nigerians have approached him to say they were really not happy with what he is doing,” Mr. Dabo said.
He, however, advised Nigerians to protect their votes after casting them, since, according to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made enough arrangement to ensure that the elections are transparent.
“Everybody should vote and make sure that your vote is protected, but it doesn’t mean kill. There are enough sanctions; there are enough arrangements made by INEC to ensure that these things are free and fair. People who are going to win are going to win fairly and squarely,” Mr. Dabo stated.
Mr. Dabo also condemned the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, for organising counter rallies when Mr. Jonathan and the PDP presidential campaign train came to Lagos State.
“Look at what happened in Lagos for instance. They knew the president was going to come in and have his campaign, but Fashola mobilised and had four counter campaign rallies. I cannot understand how a commissioner of police would allow that. Why don’t you wait till the president has gone? It is just to cause confusion,” he further said.
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