Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, on Tuesday, told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to make presidential and governorship debates mandatory and disqualify anyone who refuses to participate.
Speaking at World Press Conference organised in Lagos, Utomi, emphasised that open debates are a way to strengthen the social contract between the government and the people, adding that it also improves accountability.
“We would like to make INEC insist that anyone who cannot participate in a debate should be disqualified from that election; especially at the presidential, gubernatorial and National Assembly levels.
“We should have open debates, and not one, not two, but multiple debates,” he said.
Utomi’s call to debate might challenge political parties such as the All Progressives Congress (APC) whose candidate, Bola Tinubu, continues to avoid media interactions despite making public appearances.
Some candidates have also allegedly avoided debates on many occasions to avoid scrutiny by the voting public.
