Atiku’s Withdrawal From The Debate Is A Tactical Masterstroke! – By Farooq Kperogi

Atiku’s Withdrawal from the Debate is a Tactical Masterstroke

By Farooq Kperogi

I’ve
read commentaries that aver that Atiku’s decision to bail out of
Saturday’s presidential debate in protest against Buhari’s decision not
to participate in it was a tactical error. I disagree. Here is why.

The
presidential debate is designed to be a match–or, if you like, a push
and pull– between the defending champion, i.e., Buhari, and contenders
to the title he holds, i.e., Atiku, Moghalu, Madam Oby, Sowore, and
others. If the defending champion declines to thrown his hat into the
ring, the entire match becomes pointlessly self-injurious to the
challengers. In other words, it would have been a fatal strategic and
tactical error for Atiku to partake in a potentially bruising contest
with other challengers while the defending championing sits pretty
somewhere unhurt.

I’ve read other people suggest that Atiku,
being Buhari’s closest challenger, should have used the opportunity of
the debate to sell himself to Nigerians. Well, that’s what
#NgTheCandidates town hall chat is there for. You don’t sell your agenda
by making yourself vulnerable to potentially deathly blows from other
challengers who don’t hold the title you are fighting for.

Instead
of pillorying Atiku for not taking part in the debate, we should
question the other candidates for agreeing to participate in a
meaningless dueling match with each other when the defending champion
who holds the crown they want to grab chose to run away. Their
performance in the debate would only be meaningful if it’s measured
against the performance of the defending champion.

From a
tactical point of view, I also don’t blame Buhari for refusing to show
up for the debate. His mental and physical infirmities are now on full
display and would be exposed even more in the unscripted, back-and-forth
format of a debate. The cabal that minds him already deeply regrets
allowing him to take part in Thursday’s town-hall chat because his
cringe-worthy performance at the event dramatized his dementia and
aggrandized his unfitness for the job of president. His campaign trail
mishaps aren’t helping, either. Another bruise from a debate would seal
his fate before Election Day.

In a tragic irony, Buhari and Atiku
are less qualified for the presidency than all the other contenders
are, yet it is either of them that will emerge president in February.
That’s why both candidates are more guarded and strategic in their
choices than the rest.