SHOWDOWN: Possible outcome of 2011 elections

ANCHORED BY: CHIDI CHINEDU

GUESTS: ILEMONA ONOJA (A Lawyer and social activist)
FAVOUR AFOLABI ( Political commentator)

Chidi: To discuss the issues here in the studio today we have two vibrant men. My quest on this show "the youth are not smiling" but i think today we have a reason to smile because the (IGP) Inspector General of police said today in the news that people could use their camera phones and gadgets at election sites. Isn't that interesting?

Onoja: It is in many ways objectory for people who intend just to have free and fair election, but due to financial problems to enforce discipline, ensure that no rigging at the polls and to collate evidence to show where any rigging had occurred and how to use that videos and pictures taken as concrete evidence.

Afolabi: when I heard the news on the web, I was so surprised it was true the IGP said no phones and device are allowed in the first place.

What exactly are the people looking for in the 2011 elections? Many people said we want the PDP out of power, and some other people are saying we want good governance. So what should the youths be looking at is it the PDP or a good leadership?

Onoja: I will think we are looking for good governance, in this election we are going to be voting personalities and not parties. We need to look at candidates that are available across the political parties and pick the people who authored good governance in terms of accountability, integrity, and proper application of our resources.
Why i refuse to agree that PDP is not practicing good governance. I agree to some peoples' opinion. We had very good performing PDP governors like the Cross River state governor. With all the governor has done, I think the place is a better place now.

Afolabi: In my own case. I think young people should be careful about unnecessarily drawing into partisanship. I have heard a lot of young people saying they are voting for PDP at the national level, and at the same time voting for ACN in Lagos.

So I asked my self that what exactly are we looking for. Are we looking for good governance or a party? We are looking for good governance.
People need to be careful about blind partisanship.

Now we are looking at the new development in the political clime. In view of the elections. Yesterday we had the MDG debate session and it was more or less like a monologue for the vice presidential aspirant of the PDP. Do you think the political parties that pulled out were justified?

The allegation made by these parties is that the President had access to the questions to be asked at the debate. If we look at it from another perspective we will say they were trying to be safe, not wanting to go to a particular place and have the results embarrassed. But then again in this campaign, it must be a clearly mapped campaign. I think they made quite a lot of mistake. It's been thought they were better than the president if there message was we are better than the president at the moment and we seek to take his job.

Do you think primarily they should have focused on the interest of the Nigerian people?

Yes. The debates were not about President Jonathan. The debates were about 150 million Nigerians who want to hear from their current leader and people aspiring for political office. Good number of people have said since this people are being arrogant definitely there is noting different between over the issue of attending debates.

In your opinion do you think we can actively prevent rigging in elections?

We can do is to we come out in mass to vote.

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SHOWDOWN : Security and crime

Date: 24th of March 2011

Topic: Security and crime

Guests: Deputy Supritendent of Police, Mr Jinadu Samuel . and Mr Wale Adedayo ( A seasoned Journalist and Political Consultant.)

Programme Anchored by: Mr Chinedu Chidi.

Chidi: Towards the 2011 general elections, how prepared are the police towards free, fair and credible election in Nigeria?

Jinadu: The Towards the forthcoming election We are ready to provide security. But the issue of providing good security should not be left to the police alone. We have to work with other security outfit to ensure free, fair and credible election.
We have had cases of pre-election violence , clashes and violence in Nigeria, what will the police do to have a better security system to ensure we do not have such events?
So many activities that can curb the spate of electoral violence has been put in place. Presently orientation of our officers and the INEC officials has been going on for some time, and we have succeeded in conducting interactive sessions and forums with the police officers. We are organizing this forum and training to help combat election violence and clashes in the 2011 elections.
Are the police and the SSS to handle the challenges
From journalistic perspective, looking at political assassinations in the past you will see that we are yet to get results. Are you confident that the police has the capacity to actually address the political challenges we have in terms of political crises?

Mr Wale: Yes I believe The Nigerian police have the capacity to deliver excellent results. The challenges we have is what other countries have. This is beyond democracy. People have lost hope in the security situation of Nigeria. We want the police to discharge their duties without fear or favor .We have want the police to be transparent in their investigations, if right justice is done, it will bring confidence to those who want to consider self help as the last option.

Jinadu: I want to assure Nigerians that the Nigerian police will perform beyond expectation in the 2011 election, we are going to try all our best in discharging our duties and providing good security for the citizens of this nation.

From objective perspective, how scare are you for the 2011 election?

Wale: I am not scared, I believe the police and the SSS would be on top of their game. We will have a peaceful election if these security outfits in question discharge their duties accordingly by providing adequate security. In doing this the police and the SSS would earn the trust of Nigerians.
As a journalist what do you think the journalists can do to contribute positively to the 2011 elections?

Wale: Well journalist will ensure to be positive as much as possible. But I need to say Nigerian government and the police should ensure justice, perpetrator of crimes should be brought to book. If the culture of fairness in justice is cultivated in Nigeria people will have confidence in the police and the rest of the security outfits.
What will you tell Nigerians concerning the forthcoming 2011 elections?
I will like to tell all Nigerians that the police are ready to give maximum protection, we will do all our best to get positive results in the 2011 election.

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Showdown presidential debate with Bashorun Dele Momodu

Guest in the studio is: Mr Dele Momodu presidential aspirant of the National Conscience Party (NCP)

Panellists are:
Adedunmade Onibokun

Temitope Atiba

 Toyosi Akerele

Mr Dele Momodu; I urge Nigerian to come out and vote because the ruling
party has been in power for 12 years, and twelve years of hardship and no action, so for a change all we just need is just to go out there and cast our vote.

Toyosi: If you become president of Nigeria today, how would you empower Nigerians to hold you accountable just in case don't deliver on our aspirations?

Dele Momodu: It will be impossible for me to be a president and not deliver. I am a
technocrat who is going to use the platform of politics to change Nigeria. So if you look at it 15 years ago, I promised Africans that I will deliver the best magazine in the world. I did it, it's about track record.

Toyosi: Young Nigerians will like to know how exactly would you empower Nigerians to hold you accountable?

Dele Momodu: To be a leader it is by trust, everyone who knows me know that when I say
something I will do it and I am always effective in all I do. In 1993 I worked with Chief M.K.O Abiola during the June 12 election and when that
election was annulled I was among the one of the first people that was arrested by the Babangida regime. He left me Abacha came and charged me
for treason, all this did not deter me from identifying with the people. So we are looking at consistency a lot of who are coming into politics today have
no pedigree.

Temitope Atiba: Ovation magazine is known to celebrate wealthy people in the society, and some people that were celebrated over time are the people we generally see
as corrupt. With the cordial relationship with this people, how do you intend to bring them to book?

Dele Momodu: A good reporter is to report without fear or favour.  In fact Ovation has
promoted Africans, Ovation has really helped and impacted positively in Nigeria. Ovation has also created employment opportunities for the youths
and for various calibres of people like musicians and so on.

Unknown to you, I am the most consistent writer, writings essays about issues
affecting Nigeria since 1987. So there is no way I could be biased.

Adedunmade : Despite billions that have been invested in the power sector there seems to
be no viable change.  How do you intend to put an end to the power
generation problem in this country?

Dele Momodu: I will be a leader who from day one make the best use of what we have at hand, after that we can now implement institutions that will look into what has been done in the past. When a country has a good leader then there will
be enough facilities to work with.

Adedunmade: Are you saying that you are not going to look into those people that have
collected such contracts, to verify if they were actually executed or not?

Dele Momodu: My immediate priority is to is to redeem this nation from its present state
the country. …if I decide to probe everyone a lot of  time would  be spent on that and at the end of the day I might not be able to deliver anything.

Toyosi: There are so many challenges in the country. The lecturers are on strike,
there is cultism in our universities, and there is no job around. Can you tell us some of the strategies you will use in tackling these nagging problems?

Dele Momodu: As you know I am a young man, and the only candidate today who has publicly announced that I will create 200,000 jobs if elected in the 2011 elections. That is why Nigerians should stop listening those who have been their
performances right now. Nigerians must learn from successful people who have
done successful businesses. We will encourage people to have a feasible business plan. Another plan is to invest into farming to produce billionaire farmers in the country.

Toyosi: When you decleared to contest for the presidency in the 2011 election, how did your constituency and Nigerians react to this?

Dele Momodu: That is the problem Nigeria is facing with the media, the media in Nigeria
believes that when you are in government, then you are not a successful man. I assure that miracle will happen in Nigeria because most of the
people you call youth leaders today are just hypocrite who are lying to the youths.

Toyosi: How do you plan to solve the problems in the education sector?

Dele Momodu: To alleviate the problem Nigeria is facing in the education sector, my
government will ensure three basic things are done. Number one is to upgrade all our schools nationwide because it is important for students to learn in a comfortable and conducive environment.

The second action plan is to re-train our teachers. We will create avenue for teachers to acquire more knowledge. And the third plan is to revive and
restructure the whole academic curriculum.

Adedunmade: What are your plans for the nagging problems in the Niger Delta?

Dele Momodu: The only solution to the problems in the Niger Delta is to provide the basic
amenities like good roads, clean water and other necessary things for people of the region.

Toyosi: How will you rate the performance of President Good luck Jonathan in the
past 9 months?

Dele Momodu: I will say nothing has happened in the past 9 months, we have no good roads,
no electricity, and everything is just the same.
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SHOWDOWN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

GUEST: Dr Chris Nwokobia (Presidential candidate for the Liberal Democratic party of Nigeria)

PANELISTS IN THE STUDIO: Ms Toyosi Akererele Managing Partner of RISE networks

Mr Tope Falade (Youth Advocate)

Mr Adekunle Sanusi.

Presidential Interactive Session
Program organised by Toyosi Akerele, Managing Partner of RISE Networks
Aired on the Channels Television Lagos.

Anchored by: Chinedu Chidi

In the studio today is the presidential candidate for the Liberal Democratic party of Nigeria, Dr Chris Nwokobia.

Dr Chris Nwokobia: Historically the most vibrant age is the age of the youth, We live in a highly progressive world where the challenges of youths are more significant than adults, and that is why I salute what you are doing, that is why I am on, being the youngest presidential candidate in the camp, and the first person to start on this. Some few days ago I was forty years old, and that is our basic constitutional will for contesting for the presidency. I want that we should see the age of youth as an age of change. We have had 50 years of waste, in democracy we've had 12 years of failed promises, and so I have reasons to be challenged.
More than ever before, we need a new era, a new day, a new dispensation and a new hope. I am passionate about a new Nigeria, I am passionate about a new dawn, I am passionate about a new republic, and that is why I am contesting.
Chidi: Are you campaigning at all?
I have volunteers across the country, I have dedicated Nigerians across the country, who are willing and ready to volunteer service across the 120,000 polling centres without being paid a dime.
What are some of the things you noticed in the Nigerian society and how do you think you will make a change?
About solution to Nigeria's problem, don't you think you should have started from a low process rather than the presidency?
The challenges of the highly productive is for change to come from the front. If we begin to think of sparking off a change from the minute level, we may never get to achieve anything.

The straggliest presidency in the world is our presidency, that's why we need a man who really cares about the country, we need a man who is patriotic, and that is what I believe I represent and also the challenges that has occupied and optimized my candidacy.
Countries like the Benin republic and Ghana have conquered power problems, but we still have epileptic power problem in Nigeria.
I am saying if am voted in as the president in the 2011 general elections, that I will supply and provide power in 12 months

Toyosi Akerele: Politicians have made promises and broken promises. Will you like to share the strategy actualizing the plan if voted in as the president in the 2011 elections?

Based on assumption that you already know is wrong with our examination bodies like WAEC, NECO, JAMB. Why is the division in what the schools feed the students and what is being released as results?

The truth is that we don't need examination bodies like JAMB and Nigerians know that. We don't need an examination body to sell 2 million forms for spaces that can only accommodate 250,000 students. The solution to the problem in this area is to set curricular for these schools and allow them to set entrance examination themselves, rather than taxing people to pay and pass examinations and at the end of the day not getting admitted.
If you should take a look at the corruption from 1999 to date, are we making progress or is it a case of retrogression. What is your opinion?

The fight against corruption has been dramatic, it has move from reality and uprightness for example, in the era of the former president Olusegun Obasanjo. The anti corruption agency were against those that were perceived as the enemy of president while those that were the friend of the president had some kind of shield that protected them.

In my regime, the fight against corruption is going to be intensive like it is being practiced in the U.S and Canada. For example if a man becomes a Councillor, a local government chairman or a governor with just 2 cars in his garage, and after four years he owns 13 cars then he must be able to give an account of those cars.

What are your plans for job creation?
About 5,000 companies has folded up in 2 years because of lack of power in the country. So when power is restored we will have 5,000 companies back on track. If 5,000 companies come back into production in Nigeria we will have nothing less than 5 million jobs.
What we need in Nigeria is to restore the energy sector first. Our three points of agenda goes in line with this vision. It is called the 3Es. Energy, Education and Employment/Empowerment.

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