By Emma Okereh
Major contenders for the 2023 presidential election were absent on Saturday at the NHRC/UN organized town hall meeting for 2023. This was just as the presidential candidates who honoured the invitation were united on the imperatives of robust human rights agenda in a democracy. The town hall meeting was organized to enable presidential candidates unveil their human rights agenda to Nigerians. However, the Presidential Candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ahmed Bola Tinubu, that of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi in the forthcoming presidential election in Nigeria were conspicuously absent at a town hall meeting organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in collaboration with the United Nations at the weekend.
The presidential candidates who, were invited for the town hall meeting held in Abuja on Saturday, 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 rights 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 (Rtd), 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.
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.
Speaking at the town hall meeting which is part of the activities to commemorate the 2022 Human Rights Day, Hamza Al- Mustapha and Omoyele Sowore among other Six presidential candidates in attendance advocates transparent and competent leadership as panacea to injustice and human rights abuses in the country.
They argued that rights of citizen cannot be guaranteed in the face of poverty, hunger, and injustice occasioned by corruption.
The presidential candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) Hamza Al-Mustapha specifically advocates drastic reforms in the country’s justice administration and the court system for advancement of rights .
Al-Mustapha promised a separation of the office of Attorney General of the Federation, AGF from the office of Ministers of Justices and also a separation of convicts from those awaiting trial in correctional centre.
While Sowore faulted the constitution of the country, which he said appears contradictory such that rights of Nigeria are not enforcable in many ways.
Kwankwaso of the NNPP also promised reformation in educational, security and judicial sector as penecea to current challenges facing the country.
According to him, if the educational system is affordable and judicial system reformed, it would reduce the challenges of insecurity among other challenges .
Accord Party’s Presidential Candidate professor Christopher Immumolen advocates complete digitalisation of the country governance for efficiency and consequently curbing of corruption which he said was responsible for suffering of Nigerians.
On his part, the presidential candidate of Action Democratic party (ADP), Sani Yabaji said also there is a nexus between the economic growth of Nigeria and leadership, stating that right leadership would advance rights of Nigeria .
The town hall, organised in collaboration with the United Nations, UN, was aimed at discussing the key human rights issues affecting the country during electioneering campaigns and the electoral process.
According to NHRC boss, Tony Ojukwu, “This is not the regular town hall meeting that people know, where presidential candidates go and talk about their manifestoes, on the economy, security etc. No! We want to make human rights an issue
“What that means is that political office holders must set ppl their minds on human rights that concern the country as well. It is not only about the economy and security
“So this presidential town hall meeting is going to gauge the pulse of presidential candidates on what they think about key human rights issues like prison congestion; peaceful protest; participation of women in politics; social gender-based violence; disobedience to court orders and all these key human rights issues that nobody is talking about.
“So, we think that this should also be part of what our leaders should be talking about. That is the essence of the town hall meeting.” OJukwu clarified.
The NHRC boss explained that beyond the statutory mandate of the Commission to work with civil society and other partners, the work of civil society organisations and human rights defenders is at the heart of human rights promotion and protection nationally, regionally and globally.
Other presidential candidates were Peter Umeadi of APGA, Ebenezer Adowale of SDP among others.
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.
