I will participate in the IEA debate - Hassan Ayariga

Presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention, Hassan Ayariga, has confirmed his participation in the 2nd IEA Presidential Debate on Wednesday, November 21.

His decision is predicated on the resolution by the Institute of Economic Affairs to postpone the debate as a result of President John Mahama’s directive of a five-day national mourning period for the late former Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama.

Mr. Ayariga explained that he has been vindicated by the decision taken by the IEA to reschedule the Presidential debate to Wednesday.

He said now that the debate has been postponed beyond the five days stipulated in honour of the late former Vice; he would participate in the debate. He also indicated that he is finally recuperating from the malaria he initially cited as a reason to bow out of the debate.

The PNC Presidential candidate further said his comments on Monday that the IEA platform doesn’t really determine the performance of the Presidential candidates in the December elections were in reaction to the adamant position by the IEA Executive Director, Jeane Mensah, that the debate would come off despite his pleas.

Though the IEA had disqualified Mr. Ayariga from the debate for bastardizing their platform, Mrs. Jeane however says he is accepted to partake in the debate.

Speaking on behalf of the IEA, she said "The PNC is a party that we've worked with closely and they have representation in Parliament; we had worked with Mr Ayariga for the Evening Encounters and the Presidential Debates and we thought that he was very enthusiastic about it so we were surprised to hear that he indicated that our platforms were not useful; we've heard that he still wants to come back, we don't know how useful it would be to him but since his party [is one] of the political parties we are working with, we would receive him at the debate.”

Source: Adu Gyamfi Ameyaw