…says that presidential debates are for presidential candidates
Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has rejected the invitation of the Minister of Labour, Dave Umahi, to a public debate, saying the minister must first become a presidential candidate before challenging him.
Obi made the comment during an interview with media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo while responding to questions on Umahi’s call for a debate following his criticism of the condition of some federal roads.
The former governor of Anambra State argued that the problem had already been resolved, noting that his criticism of the deterioration of the road had prompted the government to begin repairs.
“First of all, I already started the debate by standing on that road and saying that the road was in bad condition. The only answer should have been that the road was fine. But I thank you because you are now repairing the road, so the debate is closed. There is nothing more to debate.”
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Obi maintained that if Umahi intended to challenge him as a presidential candidate, the minister would first have to qualify for that position.
“If you invite me to a debate as a presidential candidate, you first have to become a presidential candidate.”
Explaining his position, Obi compared the situation to a football team that failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup and trying to challenge one that had already earned its place in the tournament.
“The World Cup is on now. You can’t sit out and invite a team that qualified for the World Cup to come and play against you just because you think you’re good. No. There’s a qualification process.”
He added that presidential debates are traditionally reserved for candidates seeking the nation’s highest office, insisting that such debates should be between presidential contenders rather than ministers or other public office holders.
“I am a presidential candidate. All over the world, not all presidential candidates participate in debates. They are usually the main candidates. It is like someone in the First Division asking a Premier League team to play a match. No. You compete within your own level. When you become a presidential candidate, you can debate with those who are in that category,” he added.
Earlier, Umahi had dismissed Obi’s criticism of Tinubu’s administration and challenged him to a debate on the performance of the Federal Government, insisting that President Bola Tinubu’s infrastructure projects and appointments had transformed the South East.
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