A group, Edo Salvation Group (ESG), has called on voters and the gubernatorial candidates in the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State to give the scheduled governorship debate the seriousness it deserves.

The group, in a statement issued by its national coordinator, Imman Ekpe, on Friday, August 30, said t the commonwealth of the state was an issue expecting all candidates and voters to bring to the fore in the debate scheduled to hold on September 15.

The ESG said it viewed the debate as a major test that should show to voters who among the major candidates is best suited to drive the engine of the state for the next four years.

It stated: “We as a group commend the Nigeria Elections Debate Group, NEDG and the Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists for partnering to bring this debate ahead of the election of September 21.

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“We believe that this debate in whatever way it is presented offers a platform for the respective candidates to present the vision they have for the state and that is why we are enjoining the citizenry to take the debate with all seriousness.

“We as a group are urging all the three major candidates, Senator Monday Okpebhello of the APC, Mr Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party to take this debate with all seriousness and bring forth their arguments as to why they will want to govern the state.

“While we appeal to the candidates not to throw away this opportunity, we are also appealing to voters to scrutinize the candidates during the debate not just in oratory but also in terms of the contents of their ideas.

“Any candidate who boycotts this debate should be boycotted by voters.”