The vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ifeanyi Okowa was rejected by Nigerians during the Town hall meeting organised by Arise Television.
Ifeanyi Okowa Arise TV Debate
During the presidential debate on Sunday night, the Delta State Governor was not allowed to represent the PDP flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar at the town hall meeting.
In a video circulating on social media, participants could be heard calling for Okowa to be excused from the debate.
One of the participants stood up among the crowd and said no vice presidential candidate would be allowed to participate.
“We want only Presidential Candidates here,” the participants shouted on top of their voices other Nigerians booed the Delta governor.
But maintaining his calm, Okowa reached out to the audience, saying the presidential ticket is one, but the aggrieved youth thundered, “No!!!”
Despite pleading to the crowd and the assurance that their complaints had been heard, the participants started chanting songs from the backstage saying, “all we are saying, Okowa must come down….”
Another participant said, “We need only presidential candidates. If they are not ready, they should just go. Vice presidential candidates should wait for their own series.”
Also, another participant said, “The whole world is watching. We have to do things differently.It is an insult to us. Even the Chairman of ARISE will not continue with the program, if not, everyone will go out. This is our last chance to save Nigeria
“If Atiku cannot make it, they should postpone it.”
However, normalcy was later restored and the programme kicked off behind schedule.
After calm was restored and the presidential debate started 45mins after it was scheduled to start, Okowa said:
“Atiku Abubakar duly obtained permission from the organisers of the town hall meeting for him to be represented and that permission was duly given. Atiku Abubakar is outside the country and he has asked me to represent him.
“I think that answers the question to earlier concerns raised. This is just a town hall meeting not the actual debate.”
Watch the video below:
https://twitter.com/SavvyRinu/status/1589330856275214336?s=20&t=A7nx5C642DKkqF7pTovt6A
https://twitter.com/Yahaya_IV/status/1589333280306130945?s=20&t=A7nx5C642DKkqF7pTovt6A
https://twitter.com/KnightSirdam/status/1589331486779805696?s=20&t=A7nx5C642DKkqF7pTovt6A
KanyiDaily recalls that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi also angrily tackled the spokesman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Dino Melaye, over false utterances.