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The presidential
candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Nuhu Ribadu; the All
Nigeria Peoples Party candidate, Ibrahim Shekarau and the Social
Democratic Mega Party candidate, Pat Utomi will today, in Abuja,
dialogue with Nigerians on the policy direction of their government, if
elected in next month’s election. However, it is not clear yet if
President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and
the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) candidate, Muhammadu Buhari
will participate in the dialogue as they are yet to make firm
commitment on their attendance.

The three
presidential candidates are to speak to Nigerians at a forum titled
‘Policy Dialogue with Presidential Candidates’ organised by the Murtala
Muhammed Foundation. Mr. Muhammed was Nigeria’s head of state between
July 1975 and February 1976, when he was killed in a bloody but failed
military coup led by Bukar Suka Dimka.

The candidates were
billed to speak yesterday, but were absent from the event apparently
due to campaign engagements outside Abuja. Emeka Maduegbuna, one of the
organisers of the forum, said though one of the candidates, whom he did
not name, was expected to dialogue with Nigerians yesterday when the
event began, he could not do so because of flight challenges in Lagos
where he was coming from.

“His aircraft had a challenge and couldn’t fly into Abuja,” he said.

Mr Maduegbuna, who
was also the master of ceremony, explained that the candidates of the
PDP, ACN, CPC, ANPP and SDMP were invited for the programme but that
only Messrs Ribadu, Shekarau and Utomi confirmed their attendance.

Not disappointed

Also speaking,
Aisha Oyebode, a member of the foundation and daughter of the late head
of state, said she was not disappointed that none of the candidates
made it to the programme yesterday. She explained that it was organised
to enable the flag-bearers tell Nigerians their policy directions in
relation to infrastructure and other issues affecting Nigerians.
“Before the election, I think it is important for us to be able to hear
from the presidential candidates in relation to matters that affect the
collective well being of Nigerians; whether in terms of infrastructure,
whether it is in terms of education, whether it is in terms of health,”
Ms Oyebode told NEXT in an interview after the programme yesterday.

“But I am not
disappointed because they said they are coming tomorrow. I have three
of them coming tomorrow. One was supposed to be here today but his
plane had a problem and so there isn’t much we can do about it. That is
an act of God.

He himself was very apologetic but he is definitely going to be here tomorrow (today).”