NEDG releases timetable for presidential debates

The Nigeria Elections Debate Group on Monday in Abuja said the 2015 presidential debates would hold between January 28 and February 5.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NEDG, Mr Sola Omole, disclosed this to newsmen after a meeting of the board, hosted by the former Chairman of Daar Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi.

Omole said that the Directors-General of the Presidential Campaign Organisations of the 14 participating political parties would open the floor on January 28.

This, according to him, will be followed by the Vice-Presidential debates, billed for January 29.

He said the debates involving the presidential candidates would hold in two sessions and would climax on February 5.

Omole said the group had contacted all the parties involved, adding that they all support the idea.

“We believe that debates are very important components of the democratic process aimed at giving the candidates the opportunity to speak directly to Nigerians.

“We want the Nigerian community to get used to the business of debating issues and we feel that this is a very strong part of building that culture.

“We have met with all the political parties, those we couldn’t meet directly, we contacted their senior officials and they are very supportive of the initiative,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NEDG is a coalition of broadcast, civil society and professional organisations, committed to deepening the country’s democracy.

It is also aimed at entrenching an enduring democratic culture through organised television debates since the return of democratic rule in 1999.

NEDG has put together the presidential debates to give the Nigerian electorate an opportunity to hear directly from all the presidential candidates.