PRESS STATEMENT BY APC PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL:
WHY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI DID NOT ATTEND THE PRESIDENTIAL
DEBATE ORGANISED BY THE NIGERIA ELECTION DEBATE GROUP AND THE
BROADCASTING ORGANISATIONS OF NIGERIA
The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is also the APC Presidential
Candidate in the forthcoming Presidential Election, President
Muhammadu Buhari, could not attend the Presidential Debate
organised by the Nigeria Election Debate Group and the Broadcasting
Organisations of Nigeria which held today, Saturday, January 19,
2019 for the following reasons:
Firstly, out of several opportunities afforded our candidate to
interact with the Nigerian people directly by different
organisations, our presidential candidate has taken full advantage
of another town-hall meeting organized by another group which held
on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. He was also joined at that
town-hall meeting by our Vice-Presidential candidate who is also
the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor
Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. Nigerians from all walks of life who were
physically present and through on-line platforms asked uncensored
questions which were adequately answered. It was also transmitted
live by various broadcast networks in Nigeria
In addition, the busy and hectic official and campaign schedules
of Mr. President clashed with this programme. Today, Mr. President
commissioned the Baro Inland Water Port in Niger State and
campaigned in Niger and Plateau States where his time was
over-stretched by the tumultuous and mammoth crowds in both States,
(as seen by Nigerians on live television) and only returned to
Abuja late this evening.
Whilst we thank the organisers for the invitation, we want to
assure Nigerians that we shall continue to hold these debate groups
and Nigerians in high esteem which our candidate has demonstrated
during past election debates when he honoured similar invitations.
Nigerians will also recall that a few weeks ago, our
Vice-Presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, also attended the
debate organized by the same organisations.
Lastly, we note the statement of the candidate of the PDP,
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who actually came for the event and left the
venue when he did not see Mr. President, who is our candidate.
According to him, he would not want to “attack” Mr. President in
his absence.
It should now be obvious to Nigerians that for Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar and the PDP, this election is all about attacking the
person and programmes of Mr. President and not about proffering
their own solutions to the problems they created during their
sixteen years of misrule, maladministration and looting of the
nation’s resources. When they cannot see President Buhari to
attack, the content of their campaign becomes hollow, empty and
“full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”. Now that Atiku
Abubakar had a unique opportunity to explain to Nigerians his own
vision and mission without a President Buhari in the picture, he
ran away. Afterall, he has his own eight years of crass and grand
corruption as Vice President to defend before the Nigerian
people.
On February 16, 2019 we urge Nigerians to demonstrate to Alhaji
Atiku Abubakar and the PDP, through their votes, how empty indeed
their campaign has always been and to vote massively for President
Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN who have started the
rebuilding process of our great nation.
Thank you.
FESTUS KEYAMO,SAN, FCIArb (UK)
Director, Strategic Communications,
APC Presidential Campaign Council.
(Official Spokesperson).