Trending News
NATIONAL UNITY: IGBO COMMUNITY LEADER IN LAGOS CONFERS CHIEFTAINCY TITLES ON IGBOS, YORUBAS, HAUSAS, OTHERS, CHARGES THEM TO BE GOOD AMBASSADORS ANYWHERE CHRISTIANS TO HEAVE SIGHS OF RELIEF AS UGCAN LAGOS CHAIR UNVEILS PLANS FOR POSITIVE CHANGE S-P-E-C-I-A-L: REAL ESTATE FIRM SIMPLIFIES PROPERTY OWNERSHIP, PARTNERS MORTGAGE BANK FG Postpones Students Loan Indefinitely S-E-C-U-R-I-T-Y:  LAGOS DIVISION AVERTS SOLDIERS – HOODLUMS CLASH IN IKOTUN AREA C-H-A-R-I-T-Y: I HAVE AFFECTION FOR ALL, NOT JUST NDIGBO, EZE CHUKWUKA DECLARES AS HE BEGINS STRATEGIC DECONGESTION OF PRISONS, MORE LEADERSHIP: LAGOS INDIGENES LAMENT NON INCLUSION IN MAINSTREAM GOVERNANCE EZE NDIGBO CONGRATULATES ABIANS OVER POWER STATUS; HAILS, GOVS OTTI, BABAJIDE SANWOOLU FOR LEADERSHIP CREATIVITY, URGES OTHERS TO BUCKLE UP EDUCATION – ALUMNI GROUP, STUDENTS REJECT ATTACKS ON THEIR INSTITUTE, URGE STUDENTS, PUBLIC TO DISREGARD CYNICS B-R-E-A-K-I-N-G: GLOBAL WEALTH UNIVERSITY FORMS GLOBAL ALLIANCE WITH INSTITUT SORBONNE INTERNATIONAL, FRANCE CRIME: IGP LAUDED FOR EFFORTS TO TAME RAMPAGING TUNDE, KUNLE OYETOLA, OTHERS OVER REPEATED THREATS TO LIFE, WILLFUL DESTRUCTION ETC IN OSUN, DEMANDS ADEQUATE PROTECTION OF HIS LIFE COMMUNITY SERVICE: BLENDING LEADERSHIP WITH PHILANTHROPY – EZE NDIGBO FESTAC SETS A BEAUTIFUL TREND EKITI: IJERO LGA BOSS INAUGURATES COUNCILLORS, TASKS THEM FOR DILIGENCE, COOPERATION B-R-E-A-K-I-N-G: DIVINE SUCCESS FOR 2024 TO HIT LAGOSIANS AS ARCHBISHOP ANWUZIA STORMS IKOTUN WITH OPERATION SUCCEED STATE OF THE NATION: ACTIVIST CONDEMNS VIOLENT CRIMES IN EKITI, GENERAL HARDSHIP IN NIGERIA EDUCATION: HON. AREMU HAILS JPTS AS HE JOINS HUNDREDS AT THE MATRICULATION / CONVOCATION CEREMONY WHERE PROF IMUMOLEN ALSO GAVE ONE MILLION NAIRA EACH TO 15 GRADUATES
Friday, March 29, 2024

LCCI CONFERENCE 2022: Nigerians Allege Bias Over Invitation of Only 3 Presidential Candidates Out of 18, Say Development Dangerous for Democracy

0
439

By Ruth Ogbonnaya

There is a wave of discontent sweeping through political circles as the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) hosts the 2022 edition of it’s private sector economic forum ahead of the 2023 presidential elections.

In furtherance of it’s mandate to always provide a platform for public office seekers to present their plans for private sector development in Nigeria, the LCCI once again decided to host the 2022 edition which holds in Lagos from September 14, 2022 at it’s corporate headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos.
But what now seems to be causing displeasure is the decision of the LCCI to invite only three out of the 18 presidential aspirants vying for the position of Nigeria’s president in next year’s elections.

The LCCI appeared to have irked other contestants by inviting only the troika of Abubukar Atiku (PDP), Peter Obi (Labour Party) and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (APC) to the event where they would be given opportunities to articulate and sell their economic agenda to the private sector, using it’s platform.

Investigations have revealed that other 15 candidates from the ACCORD, AA, ADP, APGA, APM, AAC, APP, ADC, BP, NNPP, NRM, PRP, SDP, YPP, and ZLP parties have expressed concerns over the neglect, saying it portends a grave danger for Nigeria’s political future as LCCI had clearly demonstrated that it is partisan, despite claims to the contrary.
Spokespersons for the other parties are aggrieved that a forum of such importance, that had consistently hosted the series successfully in the last 16 years — spanning four political transitions in the country — could yield to the temptation of handpicking only 3 of the 18 contestants that have applied for the job of Nigeria’s president to present papers at the event.

“We have always seen the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) as an apolitical organisation that is only interested in furthering the overall economic aspirations of Nigeria through it’s policies,” a spokesman for one of the parties said.
“We are aware of how they have used their platform to expose candidates vying for top elective positions in the country, and how it has helped in shaping public opinion on the eve of important elections in Nigeria.
“That is why we find it difficult to comprehend why the LCCI would on this occasion deviate from the standards they have set in times past and decide to be partisan this time around.
“Otherwise, why would they decide to narrow the list of invitees to present their economic blueprint for Nigeria in this particular edition of the forum?
“We would have expected that for a big event such as the one they intend to hold in Lagos from Wednesday, September 14, 2022, and which we learned would be streamed live on all social media platforms to allow for public discourse and participation, the LCCI would have adopted a neutral, non-partisan stance that would allow for a level playing field in which all other interested contestants in the race for the country’s presidency could partake.
“By this summary exclusion of the other aspirants, the LCCI not only demonstrated it’s disdain for an all-inclusive, vibrant economic discourse, they have unwittingly denied Nigerians the opportunity to see other candidates, and access them ahead of an all-important 2023 elections,” the spokesman further said.

The dissatisfied contestants therefore called on the LCCI to review it’s policy in order not to damage it’s hard won reputation as a non-partisan organisation by being neutral while organising such future events.

Leave a reply