By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo
The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ has said it has concluded arrangements with more than twenty other local and foreign based organisations to organise a debate for governorship candidates billed to contest in Akwa Ibom next year.
It has also said that no fewer than six of the candidates have confirmed their participation in the debate to be broadcast live in six television stations and eleven radio stations next month.
Chairman, Political Committee of the NUJ, Comrade Aniekan Udofia told a press conference at the official unveiling of the Logo for the debate that although 18 political parties were reached out for the debate, only six indicated interest to participate in the programme.
Political parties who had indicated interest to participate according to Udofia include African Alliance Congress(AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Young Peoples Party( YPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
“The 2023 Akwa Ibom Governoship Debate is scheduled to hold on Sunday, 29 Jan. 2023 at Ibom Icon Hotels and Golf Resort at 4pm. The venue for the Debate has been paid for and we are set for the day.
“The Debate will be broadcast live on 11 radio stations, 6 television stations and streamed live on several social media platforms for the people to hear first-hand the plans of the invited governoship candidates for the state.” Udofia explained
Partners in the programme according to him would include the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ibom Peoples Congress in United States of America , Clement Isong Foundation, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Nigerian Medical Association, Akwa Ibom State Association, USA, Fraknlyn Bright Farms Ltd and many others.
He said that to ensure neutrality and unbias, the committee did not solicit financial support from any governoship candidate or political parties while the candidates would not be represented by proxy.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the State Council of the NUJ, Comrade Amos Etuk, said the debate was organised to give Akwa Ibom people an opportunity to make good choice for the person that will govern the state.
Etuk said the union would ensure that the debate would be devoid of any external influence and would give voters a first hand knowledge of the intentions of the candidates about the state.
