President John Dramani Mahama on Monday arrived in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital to participate in the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Presidential debate slated for Tuesday, October 30. This is the first time a sitting President has agreed to participate in the debate comprising Presidential candidates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the People’s National Convention (PNC) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP). The four Presidential candidates were the only qualified personalities to take part in the debate on account of their representation in Parliament. According to the IEA standards, parties contesting in the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections were only qualified for the debate on condition that they had sitting members of Parliament in the current house, hence denying other contesting political parties that opportunity. Mr John Jinapor, Spokesman for President Mahama told Journalists that, President Mahama was elated to participate in the debate, because it was an opportunity to outline some of the NDC policies that would consolidate the gains they had made over the last four years. He said President Mahama would also take time to visit some of the communities of the Region, inaugurate projects and meet with the party hierarchy in the region.