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The Chief Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rasak
Balogun, has urged Nigerians to vote out the ruling party if President Goodluck
Jonathan fails to attend the lined up debates for presidential candidates ahead
of the April polls.

Mr Balogun stated this while receiving, on behalf of the
Speaker of the House Adeyemi Ikuforiji, a group of professionals, Governance
500, who were on a peaceful walk protest to the Assembly premises. He demanded
all political parties to ensure that their candidates are subjected to open
debates to reel out their plans in details ahead of the forthcoming general
elections.

Reacting to recent media reports that Mr Jonathan had initially
refused to attend a televised debate, he said: “A sitting president that came
into office by destiny should be the one championing the debate but
unfortunately I hear the gentleman is running from the debate.”

According to him, such an attitude from the president portrays
that: “the message is to easy out the government and this I believe indicates
for us in the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) that we have a role to play in
the central government.”

‘Walk the talk’

The walk, which commenced from First Bank, Kudirat Abiola Way,
terminated at the House of Assembly, Ikeja. Members of the group carried
banners and chanted that all candidates should “walk the talk” and that
“Nigerians demand a presidential debate.” “We have had enough of campaigns,”
said Femi George, a member of the group. “They told us housing and education
for all by 2010 before and now they talking about 2020. We want them to tell us
how and when they will achieve the plans. We are tired of the same old stories,
give us the blueprints.”

The leader of the group, Obiageli Obi, while addressing
lawmakers at the House, said that “we are tired of voting for people who do not
have impacts on our lives.” “There are issues that are recurrent and nothing
has been done about it,” she said. “We want a debate, we want to know what the
candidates have for us, we want to see the party’s manifestoes and know how it
will affect our lives.” She also urged the public to get involved in the
debate. “We need everyone to tune in, this is a selection time,” she said, and
advised people to send in questions for the candidates so that they know what
to expect from them.

Sustaining the tempo

Mrs Obi said the group is a training programme for professionals
to participate in politics and re brand Nigeria. “This advocacy will continue
even after the elections,” she said. “When they get into office, we will be on
their neck to monitor they deliver their promises as at the time pledged. We
are an advocacy group and we will keep advocating.”

Mr Balogun commended the group on its initiative, noting that what they
embarked on is “very good for our democracy.” He said that the debate must not
only end with the presidential candidates. “Their vice presidents too should
have a debate because they are presidents in waiting and we need to know what
they [are] worth,” he said. He pledged the support of the House to the call and
urged them to make sure they take it out of Lagos. “Lagos alone does not make Nigeria,”
he said.