Peter Obi of the Labour party, People’s Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress, Bola Tinubu were not present at the State of the Nation dialogue organized by the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA on Monday.
But the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu was represented at the event by the Director, Legal, APC Campaign Council, Hasan Liman SAN.
In attendance were , Major Alhamza Mustapha(Action Alliance), Omoleye Sowore( African Action Congress), Kachukwu Dumebi, (African Democratic Congress), Sani Yagabi Yusuf ( African Democratic Party) , Prof. Peter Umeadi, (All Progressive Grand Alliance), Prince Adewole Adebayo (Social Democratic Party), Prince Malik Ado-Ibrahim (Young Progressive Party)
and Zenith Labour party’s Daniel Nwuanyawu.
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The remaining candidates were also absent and sent no representative.
The Zenith Labour Party presidential candidate, Daniel Nwuanyawu, told the Nigerian Bar Association that it was not correct for it to allow a representative of a presidential candidate to debate with his counterparts.
The politician shared his opinion during the interactive session with presidential candidates organized by the association.
The NBA president, Y. Maikyau had earlier announced that all the 18 presidential candidates were invited for the program but some attended.
Only 9 of the candidates were on ground.
The candidates that attended were then brought up to the stage and asked to state how they would address the issue of insecurity if elected into office.
Nwuanyawu of the ZLP started off by frowning on any presidential candidate that sends somebody to come and debate with them.
He did not mention any name but he was apparently referring to the APC since Tinubu was the only one to send a representative.
“I don’t think it will be right for a party to send a representative to come and debate with presidential candidates,” he said, however, he added that he had to honor the invitation.
On insecurity, he vowed to deploy technology.
“My administration will deploy technology in fight against crime,” he said.
On his part, Sowore said that for insecurity to be addressed, the Nigerian people must be ready to vote a Nigerian leader.
“You cannot push 133 million people into poverty and have security.
“What Nigeria needs is a leader who understands the importance of human lives,” Sowore added.
Sowore seized the opportunity to accuse some lawyers of allegedly defending the elites and not the poor.
When the turn of Tinubu’s representative came, Liman apologized to the association for the absence of his principal, adding he was unable to attend “due to situation beyond his control.”
Looking towards the direction of the ZLP candidate, Liman maintained that
“Tinubu respects all presidential candidates.”
For the association, its moderator had earlier said it was aware of the tight engagements of the presidential candidates.