The PDP candidate threw the challenge to
the President after both men failed to
participate in the presidential debate
organised by the Nigeria Elections Debate
Group (NEDG) and the Broadcasting
Organisations of Nigeria (BON) on
Saturday.
“With respect to my fellow candidates, Fela
Durotoye, Oby Ezekwesili, Kingsley Moghalu
& to moderator Mark Sugar & with
apologies to Nigerians here & at home
expecting an interesting debate, I regret I
will not be able to go on with this debate
due to President Buhari’s absence,†he
tweeted.
“I, however, challenge President Buhari to
choose a date and time for a debate where
he will be present and I will be there,
hopefully with the other candidates as
well.â€
The former VP, who returned from a trip to
the United States earlier in the day, had
shown up at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja
for the debate, but left without participating
in it.
“We came here for a Presidential debate,
not a candidacy debate, and I, Atiku
Abubakar cannot challenge or question an
administration where the man at the helm
of the affairs of the nation is not present
to defend himself or his policies.
#2019Debate,†he tweeted.
“Afterall, you cannot shave a man’s head in
his absence. I do not believe in attacking a
man who is NOT here to defend himself.â€
As a result of his decision as well as
President Buhari’s absence, only the
candidates of the ACPN, Oby Ezekwesili;
ANN, Fela Durotoye; and YPP, Kingsley
Moghalu, participated in the debate.
All three condemned Atiku and Buhari for
their absence.
In his tweets, Atiku apologised to the trio
and Nigerians.
“As a leader and former vice president of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, let me first
apologise to all Nigerians, my fellow
candidates and the moderator for the APC
Presidential Candidate’s absence in this
debate. His non-appearance is a slight on
ALL of us and our democracy,†he said.
See his tweets below:
We came here for a Presidential
debate, not a candidacy debate, and
I, Atiku Abubakar cannot challenge
or question an administration where
the man at the helm of the affairs
of the nation is not present to
defend himself or his policies.
#2019Debate pic.twitter.com/
crperoO3tT
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) January
19, 2019
Afterall, you cannot shave a man’s
head in his absence. I do not believe
in attacking a man who is NOT here
to defend himself.
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) January
19, 2019
As a leader and former vice
president of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, let me first apologise to all
Nigerians, my fellow candidates and
the moderator for the APC
Presidential Candidate’s absence in
this debate. His non-appearance is a
slight on ALL of us and our
democracy.
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) January
19, 2019
With respect to my fellow
candidates, Fela Durotoye, Oby
Ezekwesili, Kingsley Moghalu & to
moderator Mark Sugar & with
apologies to Nigerians here & at
home expecting an interesting
debate, I regret I will not be able to
go on with this debate due to
President Buhari’s absence.
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) January
19, 2019
I however challenge President
Buhari to choose a date and time for
a debate where he will be present
and I will be there, hopefully with
the other candidates as well.
Thank you and God bless the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Atiku Abubakar
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) January
19, 2019
