President Muhammadu Buhari, presidential standard bearer of the ruling All Progressives Party, APC, and Atiku Abubakar, his challenger, and presidential candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the January 16, 2019 presidential vote, are conspicuously absent from the presidential debate currently underway at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
Only three of the five candidates are slugging it out at the debate organised by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group, NEDG, and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, BON. The debate kicked off at 7p.m. local time.
They are Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, and Mr. Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria, ANN.
While President Buhari in Jos, the Plateau State capital, in continuation of his nationwide campaign, and had not arrived at the debate at the time of filing this report, Atiku Abubakar, his opponent had also just arrived from a flying visit to the United States after 12 years of visa denial.
Though political watchers believed his absence might not be unconnected with the long haul trip, Abubakar’s campaign had earlier hinted that their man would shun the debate if President Buhari was not present. Besides, some party insiders feared Abubakar might not be able to withstand the rigour and vigour of the three younger and firebrand opponents currently slugging it out at the debate.
The Crest recalls that President Buhari shunned the 2015 presidential debate when he was the main opposition contender; as did President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 when he was pitched against Chief Olu Falae in that year’s presidential debate.
On December 14, 2018, the running mates of today’s debaters participated in the vice presidential debate.