Former minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has said the snubbing of debates by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar means they are proving that they won’t be accountable if they become president.
She said this after Tinubu snubbed Arise TV presidential town hall meeting which was graced by Atiku and other candidates in the presidential race.
Ezekwesili tweeted, “I hope the Presidential Candidates of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and PDP, Atiku Abubakar, know that failure to present themselves for Debates designed by citizens to interrogate their plans should they be elected already conveys they won’t be accountable. Not acceptable.
“Citizens of a country so poorly governed should not accept willful acts of unwillingness by Candidates to allow public scrutiny of their Plans through Presidential Debates. And, NO, an event @ChathamHouse in the UK or “town halls with supporters” are not Presidential Debates.”
Tinubu speaks on snubbing debates
Meanwhile, Tinubu, while speaking at Chatham House on Monday, revealed why he has been snubbing debates organsied in Nigeria.
Fielding a question from the audience, Tinubu said, “I see myself as a marketable individual. You want to use me to make money and I’m saying no.”
On controversy surrounding his age, academic and private sector records, he said, “At the time of birth, I was dated March 29, 1952, in the family record. Then, I don’t think I had decided to be President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not even that I would go into politics.
“I’ve had a very good record in life. My record is consistent in the university they questioned. They’ve now confessed that they wasted their money and their time. The record is there, and the transcript is there showing March 1952.
“One of them was even accused of not being a Nigerian citizen, I didn’t touch that area.
“Equally, it remains the same. Chicago State University where I graduated has attested to that. Now, I can announce that I have received my original replacement degree certificate from them.
“Deloitte trained me as an accountant. Mobile Oil has attested to my outstanding record. I got to the pinnacle of my career in the private sector. Who among them can brag about that?
“Yes, you want to wrestle with the pig, you’ve got to live with the dirt. That’s what I’m doing. I got into politics knowing fully well that it is muddy water. Smog will come, and you will have to live with the dirt and make sure you are upright to finish the job.”
