Group to Host Debate for Rivers Guber Candidates February 1

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Rivers’ Debate Group (RDG) led by members of the Rivers’ Entrepreneurs and Investors Forum (REIF) have said they have concluded plans to host some governorship candidates in Rivers State on a debate ahead of the March 11 election in the state.

The chairman of the debate group, Ibifiri Bob-Manuel, who disclosed this to journalists in Port Harcourt, said the debate which will hold on February 1, will be televised live on Arise Television.

The group disclosed that five governorship candidates to be selected out of the 18 candidates in the state would participate in the debate that, according to him, will usher in the next governor of the state.

Bob-Manuel said: “We are at the verge where we are about to organise the 2023 debate that will usher in the governorship candidates, and squeeze them on what they intend to do.

“Now, the Rivers Debate Group has come of age. We had our first outing in 2015 where we put these candidates through this same drilling process that eventually threw up the leadership that we have today in Rivers State.

“As private sector actors, we are not

Politicians, and therefore, cannot delve into what they are doing but we knew that we can contribute in our own little way by organising ourselves the way we organised ourselves today.

“We begin to ask them those questions and begin to work with them for them to understand the importance of the task ahead of them.”

Bob-Manuel pointed at taxation, ports and markets as areas pointed out since 2015 which have not fully been tackled by the outgoing administration.

A critical area the team looked at in 2015, he said, was the small business (SMEs), especially the markets in the state.

He said: “Taxation was another crucial issue which was captured by the 2015 debate. Some mileage has been achieved but there is still need for more action. There is need therefore to squeeze the incoming political leaders in the areas not yet tackled.”

Bob-Manuel said they have assurances that all those targeted will attend, adding: “The contact committee did a great job.

“If a man or woman aspiring to govern the state cannot show up at a debate, what message would he or she be sending out? You will be shooting yourself in the foot.

“The choice of the five candidates to face the panel is made by the masses through a polling system conducted by the media partners. There are 18 candidates but the poll trimmed it to seven and finally it will come down to five. The system is credible and transparent.”