Former Vice President and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to a debate.

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.”

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.”

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.

•Sourced from a Channels TV report

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