Should Nigerians Take Candidates Who Avoid Debates Seriously? Tinubu’s Absence At Town Hall Meeting Sparks Conversation

One of the leading National Newspapers in Nigeria, Daily Trust has thrown a poser that is currently trending and attracting a whirlwind of reactions on Twitter.

The conversation is coming on the heels of Arise TV’s Presidential Town Hall Session which was held on Sunday in Abuja.

The programme was organised by the TV station to offer privileges to leading presidential candidates running for 2023 Election. 

Four candidates who were invited for the Town Hall Session were Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress, Dr. Peter Obi of Labour Party, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian People’s Party and Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party.

However, while Kwakwanso and Obi personally honoured the invitation and presented themselves at the venue, Bola Tinubu was conspicuously absent while Atiku was represented by his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa. Presidential Candidate of the People’s Redemption Party, Kola Abiola took the place of the APC standard bearer.

The absence of Atiku and Tinubu sparked angry reactions from some of the attendees at the venue who openly expressed their dissatisfaction with the idea of second fiddle. 

Picking on the development on Monday, Daily Trust asked on its verified twitter handle if it is appropriate for Nigerians to take presidential candidates who avoid debates seriously.

It asked: “Do you think Nigerians should take candidates who avoid debates seriously?”

The question has since been generating reactions from Nigerians on the micro-blogging platform.