Ahead of the 2019 general election, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to a debate with its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on critical sectors of the economy.

The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, said president Buhari must face Atiku in a debate, and noted that Nigerians are not interested in anyone representing the president at such debates.

The opposition party said it is giving Buhari the liberty to choose a venue, date and time convenient for him to face Atiku; before a neutral panel.

The PDP added that Buhari should be ready to avail Nigerians of his sectoral performance scorecards, as well as present his future blueprint, to enable the electorate weigh him; alongside the opposition presidential candidate.

“Nigerians are aware that president Buhari has been mortally afraid of facing our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in a general debate organised by independent bodies.

“For this, the PDP grants him the liberty to choose a venue, date and time convenient to him to face our candidate before a neutral panel.

“President Buhari must face Atiku Abubakar in person, as Nigerians are not ready to accept any representation, whosoever, from him.

“Nigerians can now see why our nation has been under peril in the last three and half years,” it added.
Furthermore, the PDP said Nigerians are waiting for the president’s answer over alleged corruption in his administration and why he has failed to fulfill any of his 2015 campaign promises.

“President Buhari must be ready to face the over 40 million Nigerians who lost their jobs and millions more whose businesses have folded up due to his incompetence and harsh economic policies.

“He must face the victims of human rights violations, extra-judicial killings, illegal arrests and arbitrary detention under his administration.

“President Buhari came to power through false promises and propaganda. Now, the day of reckoning has come and he cannot run away from his failures.”

The PDP berated the president for allegedly neglecting troops fighting in the North East and allegedly reneging on his promise to ‘lead from the front,’ in the battle against terror.

“Mr. President should explain why he has been insensitive to the killing of citizens and soldiers by marauders and insurgents, particularly, given allegations that he has been distracting the Armed forces by dragging them to participate in his re-election campaign.

“Nigerians recall that, at the time our troops were being attacked by insurgents, our Service Chiefs were attending the launch of President Buhari’s ‘Next Level’ campaign in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”

•Sourced from Daily Sun report