The Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has shunned the gubernatorial debate in the state, leaving supporters of his party, All Progressives Congress, worried.
The debate was held on Tuesday.
Also, the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Alhaji Umar Nasko, who could not attend, sent apologies.
Nasko said: “I am far away in Mashegu on this day of the debate.
“Please my apologies.
“The debate clashed with our campaign timetable.”
Nasko said through his campaign Director of Communications, Yahaya Usman: “Our campaigns are already on and we are going to each of the 274 wards in the state.
“The debate clashed with our campaign timetable so I couldn’t make it.”
The debate, which was organized by the Niger State Coalition of Business and Professional Association, did not have any representative from the governor or any apology sent for his absence.
Bello was at the 2019 Army Day Celebration held at the 123 Parade Ground.
He was expected to attend the debate after the parade, but he did not even when the debate was held at Idrisu Legbo Kutigi Conference Center, which is directly opposite the Niger State Government House.
The debate was attended by the governorship candidates of African Democratic Congress, Dr. Ibrahim Mani; Hon. Isah Kawu of the All Democratic Party; Dr. Joshua Bawa of the All Progressives Grand Alliance; and Alhaji Yahaya Daudu of the Peoples Redemption Party.
Kawu said his party would embark on politics without bitterness, highlighting his major priority programmes as focus on education and empowerment of women, youths and civil servants.
Mani said his administration would focus on empowerment of youths, adding that he would encourage them to begin snake farming, which he believes is profitable as a lot of industries are looking for snake farms to get venom for their anti-venom drugs.
Bawa said he would make the state a tourist destination, focus on teachers’ empowerment and creating an enabling environment for investors to invest in.
Daudu said he will improve on the education of the people and improve on health, especially in the rural areas.
The Chairman NICOBPA, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal, said the debate is to give the people a feel of what the governorship candidates have for them and to make them reply to the questions the people have for them.
Lawal stated that a lot of the people do not know most of the candidates except the APC and PDP candidates, adding that the forum will give the people the opportunity to know who their candidates are.