By Ayo Kehinde
… I came for a presidential debate, not candidate debate.
… I wanted to debate Buhari
Atiku and Saraki, as they make their way into the Presidential debate venue with John Momoh of Channels TV and former BON Chairman, welcoming them
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who jetted into the country from the United States of America, USA, where he travelled to on Wednesday, has given reasons for his departure from the Transcorp Hotel venue of the 2019 Presidential Debate , organized by the Nigeria Election Debate Group/ Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, BON, on Saturday.
He twitted immediately that he had come there to debate and not to campaign and since President Muhammadu Buhari had stayed away, it would be like talking to himself if he had to address issues concerning the government when the chief officer would not be present to react or defend what he had to say. He therefore apologized to Nigerians, his co-debators, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN, Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria, ANN, and Professor Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Peoples Party, YPP
In the tweets, Atiku wrote, “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.
“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.
“With respect to my fellow candidates, Fela Durotoye, Oby Ezekwesili, Kingsley Moghalu to moderator Mark Sugar and with apologies to Nigerians here and 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.
“After all, 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.
