Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, has explained his absence from the 2019 presidential debate despite being present at the venue.
Specifically, Atiku said the absence of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, from the event informed his decision not to appear at the debate.
The former Vice President described Buhari’s non-appearance as a slight not only on all the other candidates but on Nigeria’s democracy.
About 15 minutes into the programme, the moderator Mark Sugar, had announced that while Atiku was at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton – venue of the debate – he decided not to appear.
But in a press statement personally signed by Atiku and sent to BusinessDay, he said: “We came here for a Presidential debate, not a candidacy debate, and I, Atiku Abubakar can not 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.
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. 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 the APC Presidential Candidate’s absence in this debate. His non-appearance is a slight on all of us and our democracy.
“Secondly, with all due respect to my fellow candidates, Fela Durotoye, Oby Ezekwesili, Kingsley Moghalu and to the moderator Mark Sugar and with apologies to all Nigerians here and at home expecting an interesting debate, I regret that I will not be able to go on with this debate due to President Buhari’s absence”.
He, however, challenged Buhari to choose a date and time for another debate.
Atiku had earlier returned to Nigeria from the United States after a two-day visit and told party faithful at the party’s presidential campaign office (Legacy House), Abuja that he was heading home to freshen up for the debate.
Speaking to journalists at the venue of the debate, Senate President and Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Bukola Saraki, who also accompanied Atiku to the venue, expressed the readiness of the PDP candidate to debate alongside Buhari wherever he is ready.
Saraki who was on the delegation of Atiku to the United States, said: “We have always made it clear to the organizers that our candidate is ready to debate with the President. When we were told in Washington DC that the debate will take place, we thought the President will be here. Our candidate is ready to debate with the President anytime he is ready”
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
