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The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
in the April 9 election, President Goodluck Jonathan may not participate in the
presidential debate holding this evening in Abuja. The debate, which is being
packaged by NN24, will be held at the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja between 6 and 9pm.

The organisation had last Friday held the vice presidential
debate which was attended by Fola Adeola of the Action Congress of Nigeria
(ACN), Tunde Bakare of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and John
Odigie-Oyegun of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

Vice President Nanamadi Sambo, who is also the running mate of
Mr Jonathan, stayed away from the event.

It was gathered yesterday that though the President sent his
security details to the organisers to clarify issues relating to the security
of the venue ahead of the debate, he may not show up.

Spokesman of NN24 Presidential Debate Committee, Shagari Sambo,
told NEXT yesterday that Mr Jonathan may likely participate in the debate
because of the signals coming from the Presidency. He did not, however,
elaborate beyond adding that the event will hold whether the president shows up
or not.

Abba Dabo, the director of media and publicity of the
Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the PDP, said yesterday that the
president may not take part in the presidential debate. He said Mr Jonathan is,
however, willing and ready to participate in the one planned by the other
groups that are collaborating with the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria
(BON).

Wider reach

He told NEXT in a telephone interview that the one organised by
BON will have a wider reach, hence Mr Jonathan has decided to participate in
it. Mr Dabo added that the vice presidential debate organised by NN24 did not
have wide coverage and reach.

Mr Jonathan had made earlier pledges through his aide that he
and his deputy were willing to participate in presidential debates.

Ibrahim Modibbo, spokesman of the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation,
confirmed to NEXT yesterday that the ACN standard bearer, will attend the
debate.

“Yes, Nuhu Ribadu will be there and in fact we are looking
forward to this debate,” Mr Modibbo said in a telephone interview.

It was not however clear if the CPC candidate, Muhammadu Buhari
will participate in the debate. Both his spokesman, Yinka Odumakin and that of
the party, Rotimi Fasahakin could not be reached as their telephones handsets
were switched off.

They were believed to be in the campaign field with Mr Buhari,
who was in Kebbi and Sokoto States yesterday. But a source in the party
confirmed that the former military head of state is prepared to participate in
the event.

On his part, the ANPP flag bearer, Ibrahim Shekarau has
reportedly given his word that he will attend the event. Meanwhile, NN24, in a
statement yesterday, said the debate would go ahead today.

Mr Sambo, who signed the statement also said that accreditation
and seating arrangements have been reserved for about 40 journalists. The
presidential debate is coming ahead of another one being packaged by the
Nigeria Presidential Debate Group, which is billed to hold on March 28-30.

Unlike the NN24 debate, which will have only four participants,
all the 19 presidential hopefuls in the April election will participate in the
three-day event.

Also on Thursday, the leaders of the debate group reportedly
held discussions in Abuja with the leadership of the political parties whose
flag bearers are participating in the debate, to fine-tune the procedure for
the event.

During the vice presidential debate last week, Messrs Bakare,
Adeola and Odigie-Oyegun frowned at the refusal of their PDP counterpart to
show up, noting that it was a display of arrogance on the part of the vice
president.