Before the November 8, 2016 American Presidential Election, the arguments of best choice and popular candidates, though discussable, barely meant anything in the foray of ideal choice. In the American political space, candidates are basically judged by not just meaningful antecedents and strong character, those who wish to occupy the revered American political offices must be sound in critical social and political thoughts that have stood the Free Country on the highest pedestal of world politics.
The American Presidential Debate does not just showcase the American political poetry. The aspirants, often drawn from the country’s two major political parties, use the opportunity to re-echo their political messages, and try to haggle their way into the hearts of the American electorate. You can not dream of missing out on the American Presidential Debate! To absent is tantamount to ending interest in the race.
It is different, sad ball game in Nigeria. The average Nigerian politician is afraid of publicizing his or her real manifesto, fearing their opponents could capitalize on it, or use it against them. It is more of a tearful belief than it is a sober anger. Debates in Nigeria are mostly left for fringe candidates. The bigwigs do not see debates as a real avenue.
Take the case of the January 19th debate for Nigeria’s presidential candidates, organized by the Nigerian Election Debate Group, NEDG, and the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria, BON, that was missed by the current president, and when candidate of the major opposition party dropped by and saw that the president had backed out, he towed similar pathway, both leaving the podium for candidates they deemed unlikely threats.
The President and even others before him had missed a similar debate prior to the 2015 poll, and still went on to win the election. The thing is that those who are already in power and seeking re-election would rather stifle the electoral process, and re jig the marked dice into their corners. The opponents, on their own parts, are better of researching on how to outplay the holders. Disheartening it is that political parties with modest means are neglected in Nigeria, even when they put up the almost-right candidates, attend engaging local and international town hall forums, and sell credible proposals. It is always as though the electorate is blindfolded.
But a country, whose ruling class does not avail itself of opportunities as imperative as a political debate, is destined for repetitive political errors. One argument that could be tabled as the reason for lack of social interest in political debates in Nigeria is fear; the fear of having failed the electorate, or the fear of self-conviction. It could be something else.
Political debates have become a potent tool in the hands of developed countries. In fact, in most countries like the United States, a win in political debates mostly guarantees a victorious outing in the election.
It is a significant schedule that gives the people that chance to ask salient questions, gauge the answers from their would-be representatives, and see if they meet their emotional, social and intellectual yardstick. Wise politicians cash in on this unique platform to market their political wares in high hopes of decent returns. Political campaigns do not offer such opportunity.
In Nigeria, politicians, who go on campaigns to advertise their achievements and make cloud-high promises without dropping “something” for the eager crowd, are bound to fail. Money politics and the greedy thirst for more have displaced the virtues of credibility and value.
Most voters have turned political campaign periods to a time of getting whatever thing, and from whatever political party. So you are not surprised when you see the same crop of supporters as you did at one political party’s rally, ably occupying the front row floor at another party’s rally ground, cheering the candidate in equal baritone as they did to the other.
Some analysts have argued that popular candidates, big political parties and strong structure, and not debates, win elections in Nigeria. However, these debates showcase those with the right knowledge of the job, the obvious difficulty they would encounter, and how they would set the ball rolling.
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