Nigerian economist Professor Pat Utomi has requested that presidential candidates for 2023 be required to take part in public debates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Utomi urged INEC to exclude from the 2023 elections any presidential contender who declines to take part in a debate while speaking at a world press conference on Tuesday in Lagos.
However, the convener of the Big Tent and leader of the National Consultative Front (NCF) called for numerous debates before to the upcoming elections.
In particular at the presidential, governorship, and National Assembly levels, he stated, “We would like to make INEC insist that anyone who cannot engage in a debate should be disqualified from that election.
We ought to hold more open debates, not just one or two.
Utomi went on to remark that the suspension of the CVR exercise could result in the disenfranchisement of many Nigerians and urged INEC to restart it at least by the end of October.
“We do not think it is appropriate to continue to deny Nigerians their right to vote with this hurry to end registration,” he stated.
“According to the law, Nigerians may register up to November. At the very least, registration should be allowed to continue through October 31.
“We receive calls from diaspora residents who are quite concerned about it and seeking to petition the US government and the UN, claiming that the Nigerian government is trying to disenfranchise Nigerians through INEC. Therefore, we ask INEC to spare itself the embarrassment.
