PRESS STATEMENT BY APC PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL:
WHY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI DID NOT ATTEND THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE ORGANISED BY THE NIGERIA ELECTION DEBATE GROUP AND THE BROADCASTING ORGANISATIONS OF NIGERIA
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. Afterall, 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.
Thank you.
FESTUS KEYAMO,SAN, FCIArb (UK)
Director, Strategic Communications,
APC Presidential Campaign Council.
(Official Spokesperson).
Leave a Reply