The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Rotimi Odunaike, has questioned the exclusion of 13 candidates from Sunday’s governorship debate, calling for greater transparency and inclusiveness in the selection of participants.

Odunaike, in a statement on Monday, said limiting participation to four of the 17 candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 governorship election raised concerns about fairness, transparency and the media’s responsibility to promote an informed democratic process.

The debate, organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium, featured candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC; African Democratic Congress, ADC; Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC; and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The participating candidates were Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, Funso Doherty and Deji Doherty.

Odunaike said his campaign team had made several attempts to secure his participation but was informed that invitations were restricted to the four selected candidates.

He added that subsequent efforts to obtain an invitation were unsuccessful, with his team allegedly told that his exclusion was based on a perceived lack of media visibility.

The Labour Party candidate disputed that explanation, citing his recent appearances and engagements on platforms including ARISE TV, Channels Television, MiTV, Nigeria Info, the Nigerian Television Authority and Jimi Disu’s Timeless podcast, as well as other online and offline platforms.

He argued that the explanation did not reflect his recent media engagements or provide a sufficient basis for excluding him from the debate.

Odunaike also said the development was not an isolated incident, recalling that he had been unable to secure a place at The Platform Nigeria’s Gen Z and Millennial Town Hall in Lagos on October 1, 2026.

According to him, his team was again informed that the four candidates who eventually participated had already been selected.

Questioning the selection process, he asked why only four candidates were invited from the 17 cleared by INEC and why the same political parties continued to feature in such public engagements.

He also questioned the criteria used to determine which candidates should participate and whether media organisations and event organisers should have the authority to limit the options presented to voters.

Odunaike said the issue went beyond his personal exclusion, arguing that it concerned the electorate’s right to assess the programmes and capabilities of all candidates seeking their votes.

He said public debates should broaden democratic participation by allowing voters to hear competing ideas, examine policy proposals and make informed decisions.

The Labour Party candidate acknowledged that debate organisers might have practical considerations when determining participation and structuring their programmes.

However, he maintained that the criteria should be transparent, consistently applied and capable of being justified to the public.

He argued that invitations should be extended to all candidates recognised by INEC, allowing each to decide whether to participate and present their programmes alongside other contestants.

Odunaike further said that with about three months to the governorship election, political parties and candidates were still developing their campaign strategies and intensifying engagements with the media and other stakeholders.

He therefore warned against using media visibility as a subjective requirement for participation, arguing that such a condition could become circular by denying candidates access to the very platforms through which they could improve their public visibility.

He called on media organisations, debate organisers and institutions hosting election-related forums to adopt more open and inclusive selection processes.

“Lagosians deserve to see and hear all the options available to them. They deserve the opportunity to assess the candidates and decide for themselves,” he said.

“No credible democratic process should pre-empt that choice or unfairly limit their right to make it.”

The November 8 debate was the first in a series of election engagements planned by the Nigeria Debate Consortium, which comprises Channels Television, TVC News, The PUNCH, TheCable and Vanguard.

The four candidates discussed key issues affecting Lagos, including flooding, traffic congestion, housing, education, healthcare, infrastructure and security, while presenting their plans ahead of the 2027 election.