Seeing that his major challenger, Muhammadu Buhari, the incumbent and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), didn’t show up at
Seeing that his major challenger, Muhammadu Buhari, the incumbent and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), didn’t show up at the flagship 2019 presidential debate, Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP and the Buhari’s major challenger decided to opt out.
While some members of his campaign team advised Atiku on the last minute decision to boycott the debate, seeing that his major challenger had shown signs that he will not be attending a few other members of his campaign team persuaded him to attend the debate, seeing it as an opportunity to market himself, and build a case against Buhari.
The former vice-president, who returned from the United States hours ago, had earlier tweeted that he will be attending the debate, which he termed a referendum on the incumbent.
“I arrived the Congress Hall of the Hilton venue of the debate. This debate and the election is a referendum on the incumbent,” Atiku tweeted.
Not only was he disappointed that the incumbent was absent at the planned debate, Atiku challenged him to another debate with place and time at his discretion.
Organised by Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG) and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), the debate is currently ongoing at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
The last time Muhammadu Buhari attended any Presidential debate with opponents was in 2011, when he went against Ibrahim Shekarau of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and Nuhu Ribadu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Goodluck Jonathan, the incumbent and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was absent at the debate, which was hosted by NN24 and moderated by Kadaria Ahmed. In response to Jonathan’s absence, Shekarau, Ribadu, and Buhari, who were the main contenders in the election, decided to boycott the BON/NEDG debate slated for March 29, 2011.
Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN); Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Peoples Party (YPP); and Oby Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), are present at the debate.
