Osinbajo, Obi, 3 other VP candidates trashes issues at NEDG, BON Debate

*Nigerians have no better choice than Buhari Government but…, YPP VP candidate

For Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria is where it is today because of 16 years of misrule.  He, however, says the present administration has taken steps to “repair the damages that have been done” by tackling the leakages in government.

The long awaited  new edition of elections debates programme of the Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG) in conjunction with the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) kicked off with Vice Presidential Debate Friday night of December 14, 2019.

An independently administered multi-stage process, the organizers had explained, led to the selection of five political parties that partook in Friday’s edition.

Present at the debate, as they were taken, were Ganiyu Galadima of the ACPN, Khadijah Abdullahi-Iya of the ANN, Professor Yemi Osinbajo of the APC, Mr Peter Obi of the PDP and Umma Getso of the YPP.

The debate was an interesting one with the Vice-Presidential candidates stating categorically their plans for Nigeria and answering critical questions about the growth of the nation and its future.

The DEFENDER, which monitored the televised debate held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, from Lagos, reports that it started at exactly 7.00pm with senior broadcasting journalist Imoni Amarere of the African Independent Television (AIT) anchoring.

Welcoming the five vice presidential candidates participating in the debate and others on the audience, Mr. Amarere assured Nigerians that none of the candidates has seen the questions to be asked.

He, thereafter, introduced the candidates participating.

Starting off from the right podium, ACPN Vice Presidential Candidate, Ganiyu Galadima, gives his remarks sounding clearly the need to fix the economy.

Galadima said between 2015 and now, Nigeria had recorded little or no improvement in governance. He also blamed unemployment rate which he said was “becoming higher” on the “wrong policy” of the government.

Coming next was the ANN Vice Presidential Candidate Khadijah Abdullahi-Iya, who after introducing herself, said she was a nation builder, lawyer, mother and social entrepreneur.

She said she is passionate about women and the plight of children and believes that everybody should all be concerned about the plight of children in the country.

As a wife and a mother of seven, she said she was committed to ensuring that Nigerians gets the opportunity they deserve in their pursuit of happiness.

Next to give his opening remarks was APC Vice Presidential Candidate, Yemi Osinbajo, who moved straight to the basic.  He said the Federal Government, where he is sitting Vice President, had begun some of the largest infrastructure projects in the history of the nation.

Osinbajo added that the government is producing 90 percent of food that the nation consumes and that Nigeria is now importing only two percent of what it used to import.

Speaking after Osinbajo was PDP Vice Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, is speaking.  In his own opening remarks he went for the jugular of the APC government saying Nigeria has become the country with the highest number of poor people in the world.

Obi added that the nation has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world while unemployment rate has risen significantly.

“As long as we don’t create jobs and have the number of unemployed youths in their productive age that we have today, we are going to have crisis,” Obi said.

YPP Vice Presidential Candidate, Umma Getso, introduced herself pointing out that she has a passion for the girl child education and has spent the early years of her adulthood in the development of a common Nigeria.

Gestosaid she has been to the lowest level of Nigeria’s standard of living and knows how Nigerians are suffering, adding that her party believes so much in a new Nigeria, where every Nigerian will have equal rights and a story to tell in the near future.

Gesto’s turn ended the preliminary session of the debate after which, following a break, another round was taken with ACPN vice presidential candidate Ganiyu Galadima also taking the first question.

2^nd round

Galadima believes Nigeria lacks the capacity to determine the rate at which the naira is exchanged for other currencies in the world.

Khadijah Abdullahi-Iya says poverty has become endemic in every aspect. She adds that despite all efforts by the present government, the ANN administration will overhaul the economy completely.

Yemi Osinbajo says the Muhammadu Buhari administration has begun a major road project in every state of the Federation.

Peter Obi says the vice president has a role to play and the most critical role should be the economy.

He says the number one problem of the country is its economy and the vice president is in charge of rebuilding the economy and creating jobs for the people.

Umma Getso says there is no party except YPP in Nigeria that has given priority to women. She says Kingsley Moghalu’s administration will give equal opportunities to men and women to serve in his government at all levels.

Ganiyu Galadima says the nation is at a critical stage and Nigerians need to vote for candidates based on the manifestoes they present to them. He warns that the economy now very vulnerable and can collapse at any time.

Khadijah Abdullahi-Iya believes the decision the people should make in 2019 is whether they want more of the last four years or a departure from the last four years.

She said, “We all have experienced first-hand the pains of the last four years brought upon us by that runs a government. What Nigeria needs is freedom from this bondage called the cabal.”

For Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria is where it is today because of 16 years of misrule.  He, however, says the present administration has taken steps to “repair the damages that have been done” by tackling the leakages in government.

Peter Obi says the Atiku/Obi Presidency is about making Nigeria work again. He adds that their administration will care for Nigerians, especially the youths to discourage them from embarking on perilous journey in search of greener pastures.

Umma Getso says in 2015, Nigerians had no better choice than the present government but now, Moghalu stands a better chance to give them the Nigeria they deserve.