The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Rotimi Odunaike, has criticised his exclusion from Sunday’s governorship debate organised by the Debate Consortium, describing the event as a setback to inclusive democratic participation.
The debate, organised by a consortium comprising TVC, Channels Television, The PUNCH and Vanguard newspapers, featured solely 4 of the 17 governorship candidates contesting the 2027 Lagos State governorship election.
The candidates invited have been these of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In an announcement on Monday, Odunaike questioned the standards utilized in choosing the taking part candidates, insisting that the exclusion of different contestants raised considerations about equity, transparency and the chance for voters to evaluate all these in search of their mandate.
He mentioned his staff had made a number of makes an attempt to safe his participation however was knowledgeable that invites had been restricted to the 4 candidates.
According to him, subsequent efforts to get clarification revealed that his exclusion was based mostly on what organisers described as a perceived lack of media visibility.
Odunaike, nonetheless, disputed the reason, citing his latest media appearances and engagements on platforms together with ARISE TV, Channels Television, MiTV, Nigeria Info, NTA and Jimi Disu’s Timeless podcast, amongst others.
“Despite several attempts by my team to secure my participation, we were informed that the selection was restricted to those four candidates,” he mentioned.
He added that the reason of restricted media visibility didn’t replicate his latest engagements throughout tv, radio, podcasts and on-line platforms.
The LP candidate additionally recalled that he encountered an identical scenario at The Platform Nigeria’s Gen Z and Millennial Town Hall held in Lagos on October 1, 2026.
According to him, his efforts to safe a spot on the occasion have been unsuccessful, as he was knowledgeable that the 4 taking part candidates had already been predetermined.
Questioning the rationale behind the choice course of, Odunaike requested: “Why solely 4 out of 17 candidates? And why the identical 4 candidates?
“What criteria determine who gets invited and who gets excluded? And why should the choices available to Lagosians be defined by a select group of media organisations and event organizers?”
He argued that the difficulty went past his private exclusion, saying it involved the suitable of voters to listen to from all candidates and assess their respective programmes earlier than making electoral selections.
“It is not a question of one candidate being denied a platform. It is a question of fairness to all candidates and, more importantly, fairness to the electorate,” he mentioned.
“Public debates should expand democratic participation, not narrow it. They should give Lagosians the opportunity to hear different ideas, examine competing programmes and make informed assessments of those seeking their mandate.”
While acknowledging that debate organisers may need sensible issues in figuring out participation and format, Odunaike maintained that the choice standards ought to be clear, constantly utilized and defensible.
He mentioned media organisations and organisers ought to take into account extending invites to all candidates recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), permitting them to determine whether or not to take part and current their programmes to voters.
The Labour Party candidate additionally questioned using media visibility as a foundation for exclusion, significantly when political events and candidates have been nonetheless creating their marketing campaign methods and increasing their public engagements.
With about three months to the governorship election, he argued that candidates shouldn’t be denied entry to public platforms on the grounds of inadequate visibility when such platforms may present alternatives to construct public consciousness.
“Against this backdrop, a subjective criterion such as media visibility should not become a circular requirement that denies candidates the very platforms through which they can engage the public and demonstrate their ideas,” he mentioned.
Odunaike consequently referred to as on media organisations, debate organisers and establishments internet hosting election-related public boards to undertake extra open and inclusive choice processes.
He maintained that Lagos voters deserved the chance to listen to from all candidates and independently assess their proposals.
“Lagosians deserve to see and hear all the options available to them. They deserve the opportunity to assess the candidates and decide for themselves,” he mentioned.
“No credible democratic process should pre-empt that choice or unfairly limit their right to make it.”
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