GMB invited to Chatham House debate with GEJ

Wind of Hope, a non-governmental organisation owned by President Goodluck Jonathan, has challenged Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to a public debate at Chatham House, United Kingdom, saying it would deepen democracy.

Making the request in an open letter dated February 28, 2015, and addressed to Buhari by Onoriode Akpeh, its national coordinator, the group congratulated the retired general  for his Chatham House speech, but said it called to question his “refusal to accede to requests for a presidential debate here at home in Nigeria”.

“We wish to congratulate you on your recent visit to the United Kingdom where you delivered a speech at Chatham House, London, on Thursday 26th February, 2015. Your speech at the event is clearly a source of motivation for your supporters who in recent times seem to have lost steam in their aggressive marketing of your candidacy for the office of President,” it said.

“The author of the said speech must be commended because your presentation finally acknowledged the achievements of the Goodluck Jonathan administration in growing our economy to be the largest in Africa with a GDP of $510 Billion and maintaining a single digit inflation regime.

“However, your actions or party’s actions with regards to the entire concept and aim of the forum calls to question your refusal to accede to requests by your supporters and other teaming Nigerians for a Presidential Debate here at home in Nigeria.

“In our quest to deepen democracy which thrives on robust and constructive deliberations that aids the electorate in making informed decisions, Wind of Hope hereby offers you a a platform to debate with the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan before the forthcoming elections at Chatam House where you were so obviously at ease before your supporters and the international media.

“Again, we wish to reiterate the import of such a debate in this election which you appropriately described as “Nigeria’s landmark election” in your speech at Chatham House.

“We wish to state further, our readiness to FULLY SPONSOR such a forum. All we ask is that you state your preferred date and time.

“We wish Your Excellency well in all your endeavors and do so with the hope that you see our request as a call to duty where the future of our country is at stake, no inconvenience is too great to bear.

“Please accept the assurance of our best regards.”

Buhari has rejected all invitations to a presidential debate with Jonthan.

In January, he declined to participate in the presidential debate organised by the Broadcast Organisation of Nigeria (BON), citing “unhidden bias and campaign of calumny by some key organisers of the programme, against the corporate political interest of the party (APC) and its candidates”.

He also turned down a similar debate suggested by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), in partnership with CNBC Africa, Forbes Africa and BusinessDay.

In February, he passed up yet another presidential debate jointly organised by Channels Television, Arise Television and the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN).