Governorship candidates of the two leading political parties, APC and PDP, were absent at yesterday’s debate organised to avail the electorate the opportunity of interfacing directly with them.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of the APC and Alhaji Umar Nasko of the PDP also did not send representatives to the debate organized by the Niger State Coalition of Business and Professional Associations (NICOBPA).

However, candidates of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Mani Ibrahim; Isah Kawu of All Democratic Party (ADP); Dr. Joshua Bawa of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Alhaji Yahaya Daudu of People Redemption Party (PRP) participated in the debate.

Governor Bello, Daily Trust learnt was seen at the ceremony marking the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day where he was said to have delivered a speech at the same time the debate event was holding.

Speaking at the occasion, the chairman NICOBPA, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal, said the debate was aimed at availing the people opportunity to engage the candidates by interrogating them on their programmes and policies.

He said the coalition was spurred by the success of the 2015 edition, even as he lamented that most of the promises made during the electioneering campaigns ahead of the 2015 election were not fulfilled.

The ADC candidate, Dr. Ibrahim Mani, dwelt on youth and women empowerment programmes through skills acquisition and agricultural transformation.

Isah Kawu and Joshua Bawa promised to invest more on the education and health sectors, while Alhaji Yahaya Daudu of PRP hinged his talk on rural transformation and encouragement of foreign investors to the state.