The spokesman for Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO), Mr. Festus Keyamo has said that President Muhammadu Buhari did not attend yesterday’s presidential debate because he (Buhari) had already taken full advantage of another town-hall meeting organised by another group to interact directly with Nigerians.
The debate which held at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja was organised by the Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) in collaboration with the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON)
Candidates shortlisted for the debate alongside Buhari included those of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Atiku Abubakar, Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Mr. Oby Ezekwesili; Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Mr. Fela Durotoye and Young Progressives Party (YPP), Prof. Kingsley Moghalu.
Atiku boycotted the debate saying he could not take part in the exercise in the absence of the APC presidential candidate.
Keyamo, who in a statement appeared to have been referring to The Candidate, a programme organised by Deria Media in conjunction with the NTA and aired last Wednesday said Buhari was joined at that town-hall meeting by his vice presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
Keyamo also said that Buhari could not attend the Saturday debate due to his engagement in Niger State where he commissioned the Baro Inland Water Port in the state and campaigned in the state and Plateau State “where his time was over-stretched.”
The BCO spokesman thanked the organisers of the event for inviting the president adding that Buhari had, in the previous elections, honoured similar invitations.
The full text of Keyamo’s statement is reproduced below
“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. After all, 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.”
