FOR Nigerians, everything calls for debates. Sometimes the debates are about the insistence of some that there should be no debates on any issues.

The debates about whether there should be debates or not are the only debates now.

It looks like the best that Nigerians may get out of the candidates is their refusal, unless extraordinarily compelled to participate in the debates. It is also exhilarating that some candidates are willing to use debate platforms to sell themselves to voters.

That we are in doubt about the importance of these debates to the understanding and growth of democracy is an indication of the state of our democracy.

Why would a candidate refuse to debate with an opponent? How would the candidate draw out the flaws in the opponent’s positions?

We still have a hangover of the conditioned democracy that the military handed over  to us almost 12 years ago. Debates are rarely permitted, and politicians see politics as a war that is best fought with all issues kept secret.

Most candidates avoiding debates do not have anything to offer. Some of them are not running for office because of any competence. There is a worse group, the one comprising those representing specific narrow interests. Such politicians have no concerns outside the interests of their sponsors.

If there is a debate, what will they offer when they are not interested in letting the public share their programmes? There is also element of arrogance in politicians thinking so little of the people that they prefer to deal with them from a distance.

Debates are important and they should be enshrined in the democratic culture. The eloquence of candidates is not as important as what they finally do, but debates still hold great possibilities.

They offer the public opportunities to assess candidates. Reactions from the public also give the candidates the chance to have a feeling of the people’s expectations. At debates, issues that candidates overlook in their campaigns could be brought to their attention.

People have more bases for holding politicians accountable when they get into office if their programmes are available through debates,  they are only a part of the checks that will improve the uses Nigerians can make of their democratic governments.

A viable democratic culture cannot grow without extensive debates that will define the future of Nigeria. Without debates, there will be no opportunities for the issues to be laid bare for people to contribute ideas to managing the challenges they pose.

For the debates to make impact and have meaning, they should be held with fairness to all candidates. Any indications that debates have been tilted to confer advantage on any candidate defeat the purpose of the debates.

There is no reason why these debates should not be held at all levels. Every level of governance has its challenges that can benefit from robust debates.

Let the debates commence, let the people know more about their next leaders.

Any candidate shunning debates has something to hide or holds the people in contempt.