It is disheartening, leading Presidential Candidates in the forthcoming presidential election in Nigeria conspicuously snubbed a town hall meeting organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in collaboration with the United Nations.
The presidential candidates of All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi among others who were invited for the town hall meeting held in Abuja on Saturday, tactically avoided the town hall meeting which would have afford Nigerians the opportunity to know how they are going to tackle human rights issues if elected.
This is so because there is high level of human rights violation in Nigeria, a situation the NHRC has paid over N700 million for compensation to those whose lives have been violated in the past.
One thing was settled among the candidates that turned up for the town hall meeting, and that is their resolutions to prioritise human rights issues from all ramification.The presidential candidates that participated in the town hall meeting includes that of Action Alliance (AA) Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, Acord Party (AP) Professor Christopher Imumolen, African Action Congress (AAC) Omoyele Sowore, Action Democratic Party (ADC) Dumebi Kachikwu, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Peter Umeadi, Social Democratic Party (SDP) Adewole Adebayo and a representative of the presidential candidate of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Rabiu Kwankwaso.
However, the seven presidential candidates who turned up for the town hall meeting also agreed that education is the key to success of every nation as such concluded to give priorities to it too.Also, on the issue of gender inequality, they agreed to make sure women are giving their right place in governance if any of them emerges as the president in 2023.The onus is now on Tinubu, Atiku, Obi and others who failed to show up, to convince Nigerians and international communities how they intend to tackle human rights issues if elected president in 2023. Judging from the fact that human rights violation is really a case in Nigeria, left for the consistent promotion and protection through advocacy by the NHRC and NGOs as well as Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
NHRC/UN Presidential Town Hall Meeting: Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, others fail to show up, despite human rights issue on front burner
