Nigeria election: Jonathan rivals pull out of TV debate Skip to main content

Nigeria election: Jonathan rivals pull out of TV debate

Ibrahim Shekarau, left, Nuhu Ribadu, centre, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, right, and an empty podium at far left for President Goodluck Jonathan, attend a presidential debate in Abuja, Nigeria, Friday March 18, 2011. The three opposition candidates left an empty podium for President Jonathan at last week's debate

Nigeria - Troubled Giant

Nigeria's three main opposition candidates have pulled out of election debates with President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing him of "arrogance".
The three - Nuhu Ribadu, Muhammadu Buhari and Ibrahim Shekarau - are suspicious that he will take part only in a live TV debate largely organised by state-run media.
A BBC correspondent says the boycott is embarrassing for Mr Jonathan.
He is favourite to win the 9 April poll in Africa's biggest oil exporter.
Mr Jonathan refused to take part in a debate last week, organised by NN24 TV, saying he would participate only in one scheduled for next Tuesday run by the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria.
His opponents say they are "suspicious" of his relationship with this body, which mostly comprises state-run broadcasters.

Presidential Candidates

  • Goodluck Jonathan, president - PDP
  • Nuhu Ribadu, former anti-corruption fighter - AC
  • Muhammadu Buhari, former military ruler - CPC
  • Ibrahim Shekarau, Kano governor - ANPP
"He has arrogantly shunned the credible debate for which we made ourselves available," they said in a joint statement, insisting they had "bent backwards" to accommodate him.
The BBC's Caroline Duffield in Lagos says Mr Jonathan is a poor public speaker.
It is clear that his advisers want to shield him from the media as much as possible, she says.
Mr Jonathan is the candidate of the People's Democratic Party which has won every national poll since military rule ended in 1999.
But his candidacy was opposed by some party power-brokers, who say a northerner should have been the party candidate instead of Mr Jonathan, who is from the southern, oil-producing Niger Delta region.
The former vice-president inherited power last year when President Umaru Yar'Adua died.
Previous elections have been marred by widespread violence and allegations of fraud.
Some of the promised electoral reforms have been implemented ahead of next month's elections but not enough to satisfy the opposition.
Elections for the National Assembly are due on 2 April.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12859073
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chronology of the Press in Burma

1836 – 1846 * During this period the first English-language newspaper was launched under British-ruled Tenasserim, southern  Burma . The first ethnic Karen-language and Burmese-language newspapers also appear in this period.     March 3, 1836 —The first English-language newspaper,  The Maulmain Chronicle , appears in the city of Moulmein in British-ruled Tenasserim. The paper, first published by a British official named E.A. Blundell, continued up until the 1950s. September 1842 —Tavoy’s  Hsa-tu-gaw  (the  Morning Star ), a monthly publication in the Karen-language of  Sgaw ,  is established by the Baptist mission. It is the first ethnic language newspaper. Circulation reached about three hundred until its publication ceased in 1849. January 1843 —The Baptist mission publishes a monthly newspaper, the Christian  Dhamma  Thadinsa  (the  Religious Herald ), in ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera

The Life Story of A Distinguished And Outstanding Bhikkhu The Most Venerable Saradawpharagree Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera The Buddhist missionary Saradaw Ashin U Chandramani was endowed with great gifts and led a famous and long life. He was a very well known, distinguished and outstanding Bhikkhu Mahathera. While living in the Kushinagar Monastery, a place close to where the Lord Buddha had passed away to Nirvana, the Government of India had offered, and he had accepted, the highest, most honourable and respected title "Guru Guru MahaGuru". He became the first ever President of all Buddhists in India.A World Buddhist Conference took place in Kathmandu during the reign of King Mahindra of Nepal. The Conference was very well attended by over one hundred thousand Buddhists from various parts of the world and it was opened by King Mahindra himself. As requested by the King, Saradawpharagree blessed all the participants with the power of Triple Gems...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thai penis whitening trend raises eyebrows

Image copyright LELUXHOSPITAL Image caption Authorities warn the procedure could be quite painful A supposed trend of penis whitening has captivated Thailand in recent days and left it asking if the country's beauty industry is taking things too far. Skin whitening is nothing new in many Asian countries, where darker skin is often associated with outdoor labour, therefore, being poorer. But even so, when a clip of a clinic's latest intriguing procedure was posted online, it quickly went viral. Thailand's health ministry has since issued a warning over the procedure. The BBC Thai service spoke to one patient who had undergone the treatment, who told them: "I wanted to feel more confident in my swimming briefs". The 30-year-old said his first session of several was two months ago, and he had since seen a definite change in the shade. 'What for?' The original Facebook post from the clinic offering the treatment, which uses lasers to break do...
1 comment
Read more