The presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, will appear at the Nigerian Guild of Editors’ Forum to present his policy plans for the country today.
A statement by NGE’s President, Mr. Mustapha Isah, and General-Secretary, Mr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, yesterday, said the forum was intended for editors to interrogate the presidential candidate on the policy options he would be presenting to Nigerians as the country prepared for the 2023 general election.
The statement read, “One of the fundamental issues that featured prominently during our Editors’ Training Workshops and Town Hall Meetings, held across the six geo- political zones early this year, with the theme: ‘Media and the Task of Consolidating Nigeria’s Democracy,’ was the need for Editors to thoroughly interrogate the democratic landscape.
“This comprises the political actors: the electoral body, the candidates for elections, the security agencies, the political observers and the electorate, ahead of the 2023 general election. The whole idea is for the media to put all the political actors and other stakeholders on their toes and provide the electorate with useful information to enable them make informed decisions before, during and after the 2023 general elections.”
It revealed that letters had been sent to many political actors to be part of the engagement. It said, “We wish to invite all members of the NGE to participate in the first edition of the Editors’ Forum on the 2023 general elections, which holds on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at Colonnades Hotel, 21 Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, Lagos by 6 pm.
“The guest speaker for that day is the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He is expected to entertain questions from editors on his policies, programmes, as well as the manifesto of his party.
“The Guild believes that the forum offers candidates an opportunity to engage media leaders on details of their plans and programmes if elected into into office. Please, note that the event is at the instance of the NGE and solely funded by us. We, therefore, enjoin our members to fully participate in the event and be punctual.”