Political economist and leadership advocate, Professor Pat Utomi, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make electoral debates a mandatory part of Nigeria’s electoral process.
Utomi said political debates give voters an opportunity to assess the competence, preparedness, character and policy positions of candidates before deciding who to support at the polls.
The political economist made the call during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday while discussing the National Peace Accord, electoral debates and the broader challenges facing Nigeria’s electoral system.
He also urged political candidates to continue participating in peace accords, saying such engagements allow voters to observe the attitude and disposition of those seeking public office.
Utomi described electoral debates as a critical component of a credible democratic process, arguing that candidates should be required to publicly defend their positions on issues affecting the country.
According to him, debates allow Nigerians to assess candidates beyond campaign speeches and political rallies.
He recalled the 1993 presidential election, arguing that the televised debate between the late MKO Abiola and Bashir Tofa helped voters form clearer opinions about the two candidates.
Utomi said debates enable voters to assess candidates through their responses, confidence, demeanour and ability to connect with ordinary Nigerians.
He argued that candidates who are properly prepared should have little reason to avoid public debates.
“So debates are very important. I would even insist that we have one every month from now till election day because it gives deep insights into the candidates,” he said.
The political economist said debates can expose candidates who lack adequate preparation or knowledge of important national issues.
He argued that candidates who are not sufficiently prepared may be reluctant to participate because their weaknesses could become visible before a national audience.
Utomi said the same principle applied to political interviews, where candidates are required to answer questions without relying solely on prepared campaign messages.
According to him, Nigerians should not make excuses for politicians who deliberately avoid platforms where they can publicly explain their policies and positions.
He urged voters to demand that candidates subject themselves to scrutiny before asking for their votes.
Utomi said INEC has a responsibility that goes beyond conducting elections, arguing that the commission must also educate voters about the electoral process.
He said the commission should help Nigerians understand their rights and responsibilities as voters, including the consequences of vote-buying.
According to him, INEC also has a duty to ensure that political debates take place and that voters have access to information that can help them make informed decisions.
However, Utomi accused the electoral commission of repeatedly failing to operate in the interest of Nigerians.
He called for a fundamental restructuring of INEC and a review of the philosophy guiding the institution.
“This needs to change. If we want to save this country, we need to retool INEC and the fundamental philosophy that governs how that institution operates,” he said.
Utomi argued that weaknesses in Nigeria’s electoral process have contributed to poor political leadership and, consequently, the country’s economic challenges.
He said political leadership had failed to properly harness Nigeria’s resources and opportunities, particularly the country’s large and growing youth population.
According to him, Nigeria must place young people at the centre of its political and economic agenda and find ways to turn the country’s youth population into a demographic dividend.
He warned that failing to address the challenges confronting young Nigerians could have serious consequences for the country.
“We have to put the pressure on politicians now to focus on the young people of this country and how a demographic dividend can be extracted from the youth bulge,” he said.
Beyond allowing voters to assess individual candidates, Utomi said debates could help Nigeria develop a clearer national agenda.
He argued that politicians often present policies designed to advance their immediate political interests, whereas structured debates could force candidates to address broader national priorities.
He said the debate process should help Nigerians determine the issues that should form the basis of national development.
For Utomi, the process should focus particularly on issues affecting young Nigerians, economic development, governance and the future direction of the country.
The political economist also recalled participating in a presidential debate with former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2007.
Utomi, who was a presidential candidate at the time, said the debate demonstrated the importance of allowing candidates to publicly explain their positions.
He recalled that Buhari struggled with some of the questions during the debate and said he occasionally tried to clarify what he believed the former military ruler intended to communicate.
Utomi said the experience further reinforced his view that debates provide voters and the wider public with valuable insight into political candidates.
He also cited the 1960 televised debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in the United States as another example of the potential influence of political debates.
Utomi acknowledged that debates alone cannot determine electoral outcomes.
He said several other factors influence elections in Nigeria, particularly because he believes past elections have not always served as reliable instruments for expressing the will of the people.
However, he maintained that this should not become an excuse for abandoning established democratic standards.
According to him, Nigerians must continue demanding a credible electoral process even when previous elections have produced outcomes that many citizens considered unsatisfactory.
He said political reforms should focus on ensuring that voters have enough information to make meaningful choices.
Utomi also rejected the assumption that Nigerians without formal academic qualifications lack the ability to understand politics.
He argued that many ordinary Nigerians closely follow political developments through radio, television and other media platforms.
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According to him, political institutions should design systems that allow all citizens to participate meaningfully rather than judging their political awareness based solely on academic qualifications.
He said Nigerians without university degrees could sometimes demonstrate a deeper understanding of political developments than highly educated individuals.
Utomi urged electoral authorities to recognise the political awareness of ordinary Nigerians and create processes that allow them to engage directly with candidates and public institutions.
While advocating mandatory debates, Utomi also supported the continuation of Nigeria’s National Peace Accord.
He said the peace accord provides voters with an opportunity to observe candidates and assess their attitude towards democratic competition.
According to him, the conduct of candidates during the electoral process can provide important signals about how they may behave if elected into office.
He therefore urged political actors to continue supporting initiatives that promote peaceful elections and responsible political conduct.
Utomi’s call comes as Nigeria continues discussions around electoral reform, voter education and preparations for future elections.
For him, making electoral debates a mandatory feature of the process would give Nigerians greater access to candidates and help voters make more informed decisions at the polls.
