Why I didn’t attend debate ― Okotie

THE presidential candidate of the Fresh Democratic Party (FRESH), Rev Chris Okotie, has revealed why he did not take part in the presidential debate.

Rev. Okotie recently declined an invitation from the Africa Independent Television (AIT) to participate in the presidential debate. The pastor-politician said in a statement that he did not consider it necessary to attend the debate because his vision for Nigeria was not subject to debate but consensus building in the polity.

“In my letters to the leaders of the three main parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), I stated clearly that I am seeking their support to set up an interim government to restructure Nigeria, based on fair negotiations between the different ethnic nationalities in the country.

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“The main objective of the interim government is to produce a federal constitution for our country based on the concept of Aboriginal democracy. I also said that we do not need an election at this time because, from experience, no subsisting government has been able to address the diverse and complicated sovereignty issues plaguing our nation. Therefore, to move Nigeria forward, I had suggested that we have a National Government of Reconciliation and Reconstruction to fix all the fault lines, and produce a truly federal constitution before any new elections are held.

“These issues are not subject to debate, especially since no other candidate has presented a programme like this. That was why I declined to participate in the debate. It cannot obviously serve any purpose. However, I am willing to speak on my agenda on any media platform as I have been doing since I sent out those letters and joined the presidential race.”

Rev Okotie, however, expressed delight that some interest groups have started to embrace his ideas. He was optimistic that over time, Nigerians and the political class would realize the efficacy of his proposition for a paradigm shift, regardless of the outcome of the election on February 16, 2019.