WHAT NEDG SHOULD PUT INTO CONSIDERATION OVER 2015 ELECTORAL DEBATE

Reason We Need a Credible 2015 ELECTORAL DEBATE

What NEDG Should Put Into Consideration

Have you ever wondered why those who voted a political officer to office are the same set of people who kicks against the policies of the same? Shall we say they made mistakes or uninformed choice by their votes? This has for sometimes now been the case and it looks like repeating itself as we begin another era of electioneering campaign that will usher in choices that will lead us for another four-year tenure.

To avoid making this re-occurring mistake in selection of those to lead us it is my believe that we can judiciously make use of the “Political Debate”, this process has been discovered to be a veritable tool that can be harnessed for political education in order to enhance political participation. Now that Nigeria is off the shore of democratic nascence, it is pertinent to develop a platform credible enough to educate voters by giving candidates of political parties an ample opportunity to address the electorate in order to minimize the risk of blind voting.  In an election, power belongs to the electorate while after the election, the elected take the helm of affairs.  It is high time we used political debate more effectively to stop the people from crying foul of  the leaders they elected with their votes.

Nigeria Electoral Debate Group (NEDG) has been saddled with the responsibility to conduct another 2015 electoral debate, hence the need to arise as a compatriot of Nigeria to lend my voice.  Democracy is still the best system of government and must be sustained. Let us consider the followings as suggestions to NEDG members (I know plans are on ground).

NEUTRALITY: Membership of the group, I believe, is based on non-partisanship.  Therefore, the neutrality of the members of the group must not be compromised in order to uphold the integrity of the exercise. Rights of coverage of the exercise must not be limited to selected media.  However, this is not a time to question the criteria for membership but it is a time to believe in utmost good faith that justice has been done.

OBJECTIVITY: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) must be objective. Your choice of journalists present for questioning must have been carefully done so that candidates will not attach the questioners to various media owners who have their political affiliations.  Meanwhile, please note that electorates have their reservations on the activities of media houses in respect to drumming up support for the candidates of their choices. Questions must be drafted and sent for a third-person view (a professor in political science preferably).

VENUE SETTING: what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. The setting of the exercise must be carefully done to give room for special effects and glamour. Good lighting must be achieved.  A platform must be created specially for the debaters with cushion chairs and small tables that can contain a glass cup and a table water. On the platform of the debaters, the speaking point with a microphone must be created not blocking either the views of the co-debaters or the audience.  More so, presentational aids must be provided for where the debater can graphically and textually analyze his/her political agenda, plans and ideologies.

Another platform is meant for the questioners who will sit facing the debaters. On carved table for the questioners, uni-directional microphones must be positioned in front of each person. Table water and glass cups must also be placed on them.  There is need for the technical crews to have their stand but must not be in view of the cameras. The setting must done that all cameras are properly placed to avoid distractions.  The photographers and cameramen must be positioned to avoid disruption. The audience, which has been carefully selected, must be well positioned from the questioners to avoid blocking of views.

SENDING OF INVITES: NEDG must strive to get invites across to all candidates to ensure full participation.  A feedback from the candidate signifying their intention to attend must be obtained.  The invite must be followed up with a telephone conversation to serve as a reminder of the exercise.  Full details of the event and expectations from the candidates must be carefully passed across to the appropriate quarters. All candidates must be informed to come along with their profiles as background information of the candidates must be beamed on the presentational aids.

As a candidate approaches the speaking point, his/her profile is beamed with a voice over running concurrently on the presentational aids with the moderator with a satement ‘I present to you…’ This will be followed by an applause from the audience. If I were a member, I would have suggested that a foreign journalist be part of the questioners.  On the presentation that will be done by the candidates, there will be an allotted time that will be seen by all for transparency.  A prompter will be used for time-keeping.

After all is said and done, let the debate begin.  All the audio and video files of the exercise must be sent to the national archives centres for references.  I wish Nigerians a free and fairer elections ahead. God bless NEDG. God bless Nigeria.