2023: Why INEC can’t force candidates to attend debates – Yakubu

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THE Independent National Election Commission has said that it lacked the power to force any electoral candidate to attend a debate.

INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu,  made this known yesterday during the quarterly consultative meeting with media executives in Abuja.

According to him, debates are democratic rights and cannot be forced on any candidate and there were, however, “unspoken consequences” for those who failed to attend.

He also stated that even in most advanced countries, nobody can be compelled to do anything in a democracy.

He explained that debates, like voting, are a democratic right meant to better inform the voters and nobody can be compelled to participate in them.

“I am not sure we can compel someone to attend the debate. You cannot do that,” he said.

Even in most advanced countries, you can’t compel someone to do anything in a democracy. Debate, just like voting, is a democratic right. We know debates are to make citizens be better informed. However, there is an unspoken consequence for candidates not participating. I also understand that some candidates prefer not to attend in order to avoid making mistakes that would drive voters from them. We are, however, happy with the job the election debate group is doing. The effort of the media in this aspect should be supported, but they should also be non-partisan”.

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