The governorship candidates of the two leading political parties, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were absent at the debate organized on Tuesday to avail the electorate the opportunity of interfacing directly with them.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of the APC and Alhaji Umar Nasko of the PDP also do not send representatives to the debate organize by the Niger state Coalition of Business and Professional Association (NICOBPA).
However, candidates of African Democratic Congress (ADC) Dr. Mani Ibrahim; Isah Kawu of the All Democratic Party (ADP); Dr. Joshua Bawa of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Alhaji Yahaya Daudu of the People Redemption Party (PRP) appeared for the debate.
Governor Bello, Daily Trust learnt, was seen at the ceremony marking the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day where he was said to have given speech at the same time the debate event was holding.
Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of NICOBPA, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal, said the debate was aimed at availing the people an opportunity to engage with the candidates by interrogating them on their programmes and policies.
He said the coalition was spurred by the success of the 2015 edition, even as he lamented that most of the promises made during the electioneering campaigns ahead of the 2015 election were not fulfilled.
The ADC candidate, Dr. Ibrahim Mani, dwelled on youth and women empowerment programmes through skills acquisition and agricultural transformation.
Isah Kawu and Joshua Bawa promised to invest more on the education and health sectors, while Alhaji Yahaya Daudu of PRP hinged his talks on rural transformation and encouragement of foreign investors to the state.
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