A challenge to Silverbird TV re Presidential Elections

When I was in Nigeria recently I heard adverts on the radio asking for people to vote for their 10 most likely presidential condidates (I mean candidates). Needless to say the list included all the usual suspects (I don't know why the minute I start to write about politicians I immediately lapse into criminal terminology).

Anyway I believe that they are narrowing it down to the top five as this txt voting process develops. My challenge to Silverbird is for them to go one step further and get all these guys into a studio for a live debate and questions by a panel as well as a section of the unwashed masses.

I am not in a position to say who is the most credible of the contenders as it is difficult to judge their records (most of the info I have on them has come from their adverts in newspapers whenever they build a stretch of road from their house to their office or to their village, otherwise I also see them in Ovation magazine celebrating one event or another and spraying public funds) but I am sure there are many qualified people who could be gathered together to ask questions like :

• what is your past record and why does that make you fit to run for this office
• what is your plan for the Education sector
• how would you enhance the health sector
• how would you protect innocent lives through proper management and regulation of the aviation sector
• what would you do if the price of oil fell to a level where we could no longer rely on oil revenues (besides crying cap in hand to Opec)
• other countries have diversified from totally focusing on oil revenues (dubai)? what other options are you looking at for growing additional revenue streams for the federal govt.
• what were the last ten major contracts that you awarded (if a serving gov.) and were they actually completed
• what are your plans for lifting the morale and public image of the Nigerian Police Force
• what are your views of the EFCC and the ICPC and how do you plan to tackle corruption if elected
• what are your plans for raising the profile of Nigeria as a worthy destination for world travellers
• the budget continues to grow year on year. How would you ensure that the budget was properly managed?
• what are your views on setting up an Audit office that reviews every contract awarded by Fed. & state govts over a certain amount to ensure that they are completed

These are just some of the immediate ones that come to mind. I am sure that there are others. I would be very keen to see these great men - sans bodygaurds, advisors, sychophants and other hangers on actually stand up and speak for themselves. I notice that there are websites and even blogs cropping up for the candidates. I wonder how much they are actually involved or if it is just another form of "flattery" PR.

The public would then vote on the best two and these two would then go head to head as they do in the US. After all are we not practicing the same dem all crazy?