Sowore’s party threatens legal action over exclusion from presidential debate

The African Action Congress (AAC) has threatened to sue the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) if Omoyele Sowore, the party’s presidential candidate, is not included in the presidential debate.

The Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) and BON had excluded AAC, naming only five political parties to participate in 2019 vice-presidential and presidential debates.

In a letter addressed to John Momoh, BON chairman, Inibehe Effiong, AAC’s legal adviser, said the decision to exclude Sowore from the debate is unconstitutional and illegal.

“As the chairman of the NEDG and BON, I wish to humbly draw your attention to the extant laws regulating the broadcast of political campaigns and debates in Nigeria, namely; Section 42 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended); Section 100 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended); Paragraph 5.3 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code (6th edition) on political broadcast and Section 2 paragraph 1.1.4 of the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage, etc,” the letter read.

It added that for emphasis; “Section 2, paragraph 1.1.4 of the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage which was adopted by BON and seven other media organizations on the 30th day of October states thus:

“A broadcast medium shall strive to ensure the participation of all parties and candidates contesting elections in political debates.”

AAC legal adviser said if their candidate is not included as demanded, “We shall commence legal action against you, BON and the NEDG in a Court of competent jurisdiction to seek redress, including an order of injunction restraining you, BON and the NEDG from holding or organizing the scheduled debate.”

The vice-presidential debate is scheduled to hold at the congress hall of the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja on Friday, December 14, 2018, while the presidential debate is to hold on Saturday, January 19, 2019.

The debates are expected to be transmitted live on all BON member stations and its affiliates and across major social media platforms.