Okotie condemns NEDGs snub over presidential debate

THE presidential candidate of the Fresh Democratic Party (FDP), Reverend Chris Okotie, has condemned the Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG), for the last-minute change of the rules of participation, which eliminated him from the presidential debate.In a statement released in Lagos on Monday, Reverend Okotie alleged that from all indications, there was a deliberate conspiracy to exclude him from the debate.He claimed that he was initially invited, in writing to participate, but he noticed that when the final list of invitees was released, his name was missing.Okotie said he had earlier noticed some prevarifications and complained to the NEDG officials, but was assured that the final list of participants and the criteria would be published. He expressed shock that when the list was finally published, his name was not there, despite the fact that his party met the criteria for the debate.The FDP candidate claimed that from the criteria published in Thisday edition of Friday, March 25, 2011, his party met the conditions, viz that for a partys candidate to be invited to the NEDG debate, it must have at least a candidate running for the House of Representatives.The NEDG, in its haste to execute some secret agenda, failed to get its facts right. Weve a candidate for Ethiope East, running for House of Representatives, we also have a gubernatorial candidate in Imo State. So it is clear that this decision is targetted at Okotie, the statement read.He pointed out that it was wrong for the NEDG to set up rules which were targetted to screen out smaller parties, adding that, one of the key tenets of representative democracy, was a levelled playing field for all participants.The FDP flagbearer, who was taking his third straight shot at the presidency, argued that since the INEC officially recognised the 18 presidential candidates and their parties, NEDG ought to have invited all the candidates for the debate, regardless of their perceived electoral disadvantages.What the debate organisers have done is to recognise some candidates as front runners and some as underdogs. It is the prerogative of the voters to determine their choice of candidate without undue influence, he said.
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